Just a Trashy Blues Bar
by The Author's Mighty Pen
Summary: Anna Smith owns a trashy blues bar where many a soul has sold itself to the Devil to sing the blues. But when John Bates, a famous blues singer, comes to play there, Anna Smith wonders if she has nothing else to lose and nothing more to live for.
1. Devil's Bar

She wiped down the bar, calling out over the wheezing twang of the broken jukebox in the corner, "Last call then we're closing it up."

Ignoring the few groans from the few patrons conscious enough to hear her, she tossed the rag across the bar to the sink, smiling to herself when it landed with a satisfying thump. Turning back to the room she sighed, reaching under the bar for the bat she kept there. "Folks, I wasn't kidding. It's time to get your sorry asses out of the seats and either into your cars or your cabs. I don't care which but don't drink and drive."

"What if we do?"

"Then you do it at your own risk." She tapped the bat on the car, "Now get out."

They all stumbled to their feet, a few shooting her dirty looks or nasty stares but she ignored them all. Someone tripped over a chair but she only rolled her eyes. She went into the back, pulling out the mop and bucket as the last patron made their way out of the bar.

With a beleaguered sigh she started at the door, flipping the sign and switching out the neon lights, slapping the wet mop on the floor. She worked from one side to the next, reaching the bar before risking emptying her bucket to refill. As the water ran she heard a noise at the front of the bar.

"Hey," She flipped the water off, coming back out, "The sign says 'closed'. That means-"

"I know what the sign being off means." The dark figure at the door weaved between the tables as if made of shadow and darkness. "You kicked everyone out early tonight."

"It's three am."

"I don't keep this bar open because I care about time."

"We humans have to, unfortunate as it is." She wiped at her forehead. "I wasn't expecting you until the fifteenth."

"I'm not here, officially." The figure approached the bar, the orange-yellow light from the bar lighting the other woman's face. "I'm here to see you, Anna."

Anna rolled her head, trying to crack out her neck. "What could've possibly earned me your attentions?"

"Don't be so ungrateful."

"I never said I was."

"I invented sarcasm, as the impolite response to people seeking politeness." The other woman tapped on the bar, leaving slight sing marks where her fingers touched. "I don't need it from you."

"What do you need?"

"I need you to find more people to give me their souls."

"I'm not into marketing. Wasn't my major in school."

"Then get into it." The woman adjusted her dark hair. "I'm here on the fifteenth for souls. If there aren't any souls here then why do I bother coming?"

"Because you wanted to give me a place to serve out the penance you demanded in return for my deal." Anna shrugged, "I do what I must, Vera, because this is what gives me back my soul."

"Ha!" Vera shook her head, "You'll give your whole life just to be free."

"It'd be worth it." Anna managed a half smile, "The darkest night of the month is coming so why don't we just wait to see each other again until then?"

"You make it sound like you don't want to see me."

"Why would anyone want to meet the devil herself?"

"You did once. When you bargained for that man's life." Vera clicked her tongue against her teeth, "And then he turned on you. What a shame."

"It was and it is." Anna shrugged, "I guess I'll see what I can do about getting more people to perform for you here so they can sell their souls to play the blues."

"Remember, only the most willing." Vera held up a finger. "I don't want to be dragging anyone."

"I thought it was called the 'Devil's Bar' for a reason?" Anna watched as Vera went back to the door. "Aren't they supposed to be dragged from here to Hell?"

"No one gets dragged to Hell. They make their way there one decision at a time." Vera stalked back toward Anna, "Slowly, carefully, we wind the thread around their wrists until it's a chain that I use to pull them to where they're decisions led them. It's a simple arrangement."

"I guess it is."

"You should know," Vera laughed, appearing in an instance at the door, "You made it yourself."


	2. A Rock and a Hard Place

Anna wiped at the bar before tossing the cloth into the sink. A door in the back opened and she turned, hand on her hip before smiling at the redhead entering while trying to tie her apron on the right way. "I thought you'd be here earlier."

"Sorry. John got a nasty bout of food poisoning last night and I was stuck playing nurse." The redhead grimaced, "And not in the fun way."

Anna shuddered," Just flip the sign then Gwen and tell Mrs. Patmore our morning rush starts in ten."

"She'll like that."

"Daisy's out with the flu." Anna walked around the bar, flipping chairs back to the floor. "And we've got what we've got today."

"I wonder why we don't just buy that section above us and make this place a bed and breakfast." Gwen flipped the switch on the sign, unlocking the doors and drawing all the shades up. "We get enough people who fall asleep at the tables we should charge rent."

"Our landlord wouldn't much care for anyone staying here like that." Anna set a chair down, frowning at a burn mark in the floor before going back to flipping chairs. "Besides, we don't need them clogging up our time any more than we already do."

"Anna," Gwen stretched her lips as if trying out all the different ways to say what she was thinking as diplomatically as possible before settling on one. "Aren't we losing money?"

"No," Anna flipped the last chair, scooting it into the table before going back to the bar for the containers holding salt and peppershakers. "I'm the one losing money."

"Then giving the lushes a place to stay'd be a bit more advantageous don't you think?"

"I think," Anna grabbed two of the shakers from the container and put them on the table between she and Gwen, "You need to tell Mrs. Patmore about the morning rush and I need to get these on the table before the most uncultured palates this side of the Mississippi River decide to take breakfast here."

Gwen sighed, going to the back while muttering to herself. Anna returned to her work, setting her back to the door while moving toward it. The bell over the door dinged and she turned to address whoever entered.

"Listen we're-" Anna froze, her mouth seeking whatever words she had to say next but they were lost in the sight of the man standing there.

"If you're about to say 'we're closed' I'd have to disagree because your blinking neon sign says otherwise." The man smiled, lifting his guitar case off the ground. "But if you need me to wait can at least do it at a table? I've been walking for ages."

"With an accent like that I'd have to ask if you walked yourself here from across the Pond and then whether or not you'll help increase my profits by changing my water to wine."

"No luck on the first or the second but I will buy one of your drinks once it reaches a publicly acceptable hour for it."

"Then help yourself to a table." Anna set the container more firmly on her hip, pointing to a corner booth, "That's got the best lighting and the one in the corner there is for those who don't want to be seen."

"I'm looking for a seat and a meal so I guess lighting and visuals aren't really my thing." The man gestured to the table right before him, "This a good spot?"

"Only if you want to fight the Carson's for it." Anna stopped her hand grabbing another set of shakers, noting the tremor there. "That's their morning spot."

"I wouldn't have taken this for the kind of place where people have assigned seating but I guess looks can be deceiving."

"They're not." Anna swallowed and forced two shakers down on a table with a bit of excessive energy. "You'd be right in your assumption that this, sir, is just a trashy blues bar."

"It's far from trashy, considering the dumps where I headlined for five quid and a free drink." He shuffled to another seat but Anna shook her head and directed him to one table further. "And it's John."

"What is?"

"My name." John chuckled, setting his guitar case and the duffle bag over his shoulders on the floor with a thump. "It's John Bates, not 'sir' because I left the Army years ago."

"You enjoy the service?" Anna scraped her hand along the inside of the container before she realized it was empty and then switched it out for a full one on the bar.

"It did me very well until we all realized I wasn't doing it very well." John stretched back in his chair, "They don't tend to like those who can't control their drink on duty."

"Then maybe we should rethink that drink you were about to buy." Anna put two shakers on his table, "Much as it would pain me to say no to the money."

"What if I buy the drink for you?"

Anna stopped, holding the man's gaze as her face cracked into a smile. "I don't drink while I'm working but I do thank you."

"For the offer?"

"For the reminder that a sober man can still find me attractive enough to proposition at nine in the morning this far outside of all the habitable towns in Georgia." Anna finished the tables and stacked the containers on the bar. "I'm curious what brings you here."

"Other than the humidity and never-ending flatness?" John shrugged, "Looking for a place to go I guess."

"Then you hit rock bottom if you came here."

"Maybe not." John pointed behind him at the window, "It's not called 'The Rock' or 'Rock Bottom' so I assume you've only just bought the place and forgot what you named it."

"Very funny." Anna pulled her apron string apart to tie them tighter around her undershirt. "And those names did come to mind when I named the place."

"But you didn't choose them."

"Landlord wanted something a little more decorative and I wanted something that told everyone exactly where they were."

"It's called 'Devil's Bar'."

"Exactly. If you're here then you're in the shit and the only way to get out is with a deal to the Devil himself."

"Then I guess I wasn't paying as much attention in Catechism or Mass as I thought because I don't remember the Devil being amenable to deal making."

"Mr. Bates," Anna leaned over the back of the chair in front of him, "There's more than one devil in the world and some of them are amenable."

"Like those who'd wait at the cross roads to meet the Devil and play him for their souls?"

Anna shrugged, "This bar's built on a crossroads."

"I didn't take you for a Charlie Daniels' Band fan."

"I'm not." Anna grabbed the containers off the bar, "But not everyone sold their soul to the Devil to sing the blues Mr. Bates."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Some sold their souls for different things." Anna moved into the back, dropping her voice to speak more to herself than anyone else, "Doesn't mean we got any better deal for it but we did."

She kept an eye on him throughout the morning rush. The regulars took their seats, and a few people stopping for breakfast on their way somewhere else took the seats left open. The orders rushed in and out of the kitchen with Anna working the floor herself to see to all the patrons' needs.

Eventually the breakfast rush ended and Anna started the cleaning process with Gwen helping bus the tables. They got the left over food to the bin while the plates and cutlery filled the large sink with Gwen immediately working to scrub them clean. Anna returned to the tables, wiping them all to a shining gleam before taking a broom to the floor.

Anna walked the length of the floor to close and lock the front door as the morning rush cleared out. Sighing to herself as she wiped her forehead, she turned the sign over before flipping the bolt. As she pivoted around back to the bar she caught sight of John, still sitting on his chair and tuning the guitar in his hands.

Walking over to him Anna knocked her knuckles on the table to get his attention. "I know, for a fact, the sign says we're closed now."

John craned his neck back over the chair, "Huh, so it does."

"That usually means that you should be on the other side of the door."

"Usually."

Anna put her hands on her hips, "Don't let my small frame deceive you, Mr. Bates. I can drop you on your ass outside that door or you can pick up your things and walk calmly out of it."

"Or," John set his guitar aside, "You could take me up on an offer."

"Which would be what?"

"Let me stay here and play."

Anna blinked, "What?"

"I noticed the sign you've got in the window," John rapped his knuckle against it before standing and walking to the back of the bar to point to tacked up sign there. "Says you needs blues players and I'm one of the best."

"Are you now?"

"I am." John smiled, "Give me a place to stay and I'll play here every night until I decide where I'm going."

"You sure you've a repertoire for that?"

"I've got more than enough songs at the tip of my fingers to please even your most picky patron and I've got more I could play on the fly of my own."

Anna narrowed her eyes at him, "Why you want to help me?"

"Because," John walked to stand toe-to-toe with her at the bar, towering over her. "We're both in the same position."

"I've so many ways to tell you that you're wrong."

John laughed, "And you'd be right except for the one that matters."

"Which is?"

"I'm guessing that we're both in a bit of a bind." John cracked a grin, "Stuck between a rock and a hard place."

"That's bold of you to say."

"You've got yourself and two staff members managing a breakfast that's good enough for twice the people you had in here for breakfast rush." John motioned to the floor, "You love this place and you take care of it but I can see the divots in the bar, the wear on the floor, and your cracked chairs you hope don't give out when someone over fifteen stone decides to drop their ass down."

"What's your point?"

"I can bring in your crowds to make this place shine."

Anna sucked the inside of her cheeks, "Why'd you want to help me do that?"

"Let's just say I've got a reason to stick around awhile and this is as good a place as any to set up shop."

"You're not running from any cops or trying to hide out because a notorious biker gang is after you are you?"

"Not as such, no." John sighed, "Look, I just want a place where I can practice my art, help someone out, and make a decent living."

"It's not a decent living."

"Make any kind of living." John pointed to his bag and his case. "I've been on the road for weeks, I'm tired of traveling, and I've got nowhere else to go."

"Then why come here?"

John smirked, "Because it's just a trashy blues bar."


	3. Cold Inside

Anna plugged in the mike, nodding to John as he tapped it to check the receiver. He nodded, setting his guitar on his knees, positioning his feet on the bars of the stool before playing a few chords. Anna took her position, arms folded over her chest, next to Gwen and Anna.

Gwen leaned over while John warmed up his fingers, "You know, the idea of lodging people above the bar's not a bad idea anymore."

Anna glared at her before speaking at John, "Anytime you're ready Mr. Bates."

"Thank you." He tuned his guitar and pulled the mike closer. "I might start with one you already know, if that's alright."

"Whatever gives us a good version of your voice and talents is fine." Anna sat back on one of the barstools as Gwen took the one next to her. Anna leaned over to her, "What do you make of him?"

"He's not going to make himself any fame trying to be a Marvel superhero or anything but he's not bad looking." Gwen tilted her head sideways, as if trying to take in more of him before shrugging. "I bet he's got it where it counts."

Anna swatted Gwen's shoulder, frowning at her. "I meant as a person. Not for sexual prowess."

"Why, did you already find out about that?" Gwen grinned and Anna huffed before turning back to John. "I could see it all over your face."

"See what?" Anna hissed back to her as John strummed a few chords.

"That 'I want to get laid' face.' Gwen leaned on her shoulder, whispering in Anna's ear. "When was the last time you had someone take care of you?"

"Are you asking when I last orgasmed or when I last had sex because those are two very different dates and I need to be sure which one you want to know."

"At least you can remember the dates." Gwen sighed, "I can't remember the last time I got an indecent proposal."

"What about your Mr. Harding? The money man."

"He's around but he's getting his degree online and so he's been busy with this, that, and the other so I'm not nearly as interesting as putting a plaque on his wall." Gwen held up a finger, "For the moment. I'm sure, once he's got something to celebrate, he'll come back to me with open arms and I might just open something-"

"I hope you all don't mind if I start with Johnny Cash."

"Personal hero of yours?" Anna folded her arms over her chest, swiveling a bit on her barstool seat.

"He's an inspiration but I'm mostly a fan of this song."

Anna groaned, "Please don't give us a rendition of _Ring of Fire_. I don't know if I could take that."

"It's not _Ring of Fire_." John soothed, "I prefer _Hurt_."

Anna perked up, sitting more toward the edge of the stool as John's fingers touched easily over the strings, pulling them in time with a voice that filled the gravelly nuance of Johnny Cash into a richer retrospective.

" _I hurt myself, today. To see if I still feel. I focus, on the pain. The only thing that's real._ "

His voice continued, lulling the three women perched on their barstools into an almost trance. Anna could see the hairs on her exposed arms rising with the music as her whole body hummed with the energy. In a moment she recognized, after years of hearing the awful and the terrible play from the same stool and into the same mike in her bar bearing the years of wear and tear that this man had skill.

" _What have I become, my sweetest friend? Everyone I know goes away, in the end._ "

Anna shuddered, the chords his fingers played with smooth familiarity striking at her. She risked a look at Gwen but her ginger friend had all attentions focused on John. A quick glance to the other direction showed the same reaction from the portly Mrs. Patmore as the woman hummed along.

It was that moment she realized, this was the man the devil wanted for herself. This was the man Anna could never allow to play here or he would be sucked into the void. This man needed to leave.

He finished, letting the last note hang in the air, and turned to his audience of three. "And that's just the start."

"I'd say we keep him." Gwen slapped the bar with her hand, "Most of the twangy buggers who come through that door don't know a C chord from a D chord and only play _Wonderwall_ so I'm all for someone with real talent and an actual repertoire saving our ears every night instead of assailing them."

"I'm with Gwen." Mrs. Patmore nodded, "It'd be nice to have real music here that might make cooking a bit easier."

"And I say that this is not actually a democracy and I'll be making this decision alone." Anna hopped off the stool, shooing the other women away. "We've got to take our breaks now or we'll never be ready for the lunch rush and we've got four buses pulling through the depot today so…"

Gwen grumbled while Mrs. Patmore only waved Anna off before the two women chatted their way back to the kitchen. Anna grabbed her left hand with her right, tugging at her fingers as she pivoted to face John. He stood right before her and she stumbled back a step to avoid colliding with him. His hand shot out, catching her arm to prevent her from falling.

If Anna thought the hairs on her arm rose when he sang and played then she had no idea the kind of lightning strike that sizzled through her body when he touched her. Their eyes met and she risked losing herself on the edge of his soul there. But, with all the internal strength she could muster for herself, Anna pulled back.

"Thank you, Mr. Bates, that was kind of you."

"I did make you fall."

"You were a bit abrupt." Anna dropped her arms and then lifted them, as if she wasn't sure what she wanted to do with them. "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to say no."

"No?"

"No." Anna nodded, slapping her waist apron with more force than she intended as she finally decided to drop her arms. "I can't take the risk of a steady gig when I'm already taking on water and you don't know how long you're staying so there's the idea that if I depend on you then one day you'll just bug out and then where will I be? So, in the interest of keeping whatever semblance of control and stability I have here, in my little blues bar, I'm going to thank you sincerely for your offer and decline you."

John widened his eyes before brushing back his hair with a rake of his fingers. "Wow."

Anna frowned, ducking her head to better see his expression. "Wow what?"

"Weren't you listening, just now?" John pointed to the mike on the tiny, haphazard stage. "I thought you were because you were less than ten feet away on that bar stool but maybe I was wrong."

"Don't try to hard sell me about your skills because I know you have them. Gwen's right," Anna waved a hand back toward the kitchen. "You're a skilled player and I hope you find something that lets you give that beautiful voice of yours time where people can hear it but I'm not in a position right now to-"

"Is this because of what else Gwen said?"

Anna gaped her mouth like a fish, the cold prickle down her spine signaling for an honorable retreat but she ignored it. "Not sure I know what you mean by that?"

"If you're not deaf and neither am I then we both know she thinks you should sleep with me."

"That's not-" Anna shook her head, "That's not what she said at all."

"She thought you could handle it."

"No, she thought you could handle it, for yourself, and that's not…" Anna closed her eyes, putting out a hand toward him as if to stop a physical approach. "What Gwen said came from whatever she was thinking, which wasn't much as we can tell."

"I'd beg to differ."

"Because you're a man."

"And I have different needs than you?"

"Yes." Anna crossed her arms over her chest, leaning all her weight to one side to jut out a hip. "For you sex would be a baseline thing as simple as eating breakfast or taking a shit in the morning. For a woman it's a climactic experience, pun intended, that's the height of pleasure if done properly."

"And I'll bet, no offense intended that isn't rightly assigned to any of the potentially inbred rednecks who try to make time with you on a Friday night, that you haven't exactly reached that pinnacle lately?"

"All offense meant to them because no, I haven't." Anna shook her head, putting her hands on either side of it, "Why are we talking about this at all? I'm trying to boot you out of my bar."

"And I'm saying you're doing it because you're afraid we'd eventually have sex and then whatever arrangement we cook here would be buggered."

"I'm not afraid of having sex with you. Sex is sex."

John laughed, "But it's not, Ms. Smith. Or, at least to me, it shouldn't be."

"That's philosophical for a man who claimed to have left the service because he couldn't hold his drink."

"I was discharged for drinking on duty, not because I couldn't hold my drink." John pointed to himself, "Do I look like a lightweight to you?"

"You look like someone who could drink me dry, write ten mournful songs about the problems in your life, and then order another round."

"That's about it."

Anna sighed, "Look, if I were looking for sex then I wouldn't mind testing you out but I'm not. More to the point, I can't afford to have you here."

"Because of the sex?"

"Because you've got skill and you'll lose your soul in a place like this." Anna took a breath, "I know you probably thought I was joking, earlier, when I mentioned people selling their souls to the devil for things."

"Like the song."

"Except not like the song, Mr. Bates, because I sold my soul for this bar." Anna stopped, "Actually, I sold my soul to help a man run this bar. But then he ran off with one of our waitresses, leaving me with a massive debt to pay off in his name and no place to go. I've got no family and I've got no skills I can market beyond this place because my credit took a thwacking so hard I'll be lucky if my grandchildren can get a student loan."

"Grandchildren?"

"It's a figure of speech, Mr. Bates."

"I was trying-" John shuffled in place, "I realize you might not find my attempt at humor in this situation as funny as I did."

"I appreciate you trying to lighten the mood, Mr. Bates, but what I'm facing here is bigger than your skills. It's the possibility of you losing your soul here too."

"I don't play on challenging the Devil to a contest on the fiddle since I don't even own a violin."

"Like I said, there's more than one devil and they take a few different forms."

"Like the man who betrayed you?"

Anna nodded, "While I trust that you seem a decent person right now I don't trust men in general because the one I gave everything for when he asked it of me betrayed me."

"I wouldn't do that to you."

"You don't even know me, Mr. Bates."

"But I want to."

"And I appreciate the compliment of your potential and suggested affections but I'd advise you to take them somewhere else since I'm not the one for them. Not now or ever."

"Because you sold your soul to the Devil?"

"No, Mr. Bates," Anna gathered her things, pulling her apron off, "Because I'm cold inside and I don't know how to be not cold anymore."

"Usually heat is required."

"Won't work for this." Anna pointed to the door, hopping back to swivel on her butt over the bar. "You're welcome back for lunch if you want it, dessert'll be on the house, but the door's there."

She was almost to the kitchen doors when she heard his response. "Thanks for the escape chute but I think I'll stick around."

"What?" She turned, walking back to the bar as he leaned over it. "Did you edit the conversation we just had out of your mind?"

"No," He held up a finger, his weight resting on his folded arms on the bar. "I listened very carefully and while I more than respect that you're not ready for any potential sexual encounters with me I don't think that you're not ready for someone to help dig you out of this hole."

"At the risk of your soul?"

John shrugged, "Not entirely sure I have one left so it's like betting a ginger for their soul." He opened his hands, "I've got nothing to lose and everything to gain."

Anna narrowed her eyes, "This isn't because you're hoping to get into my pants?"

"Not sure we could share your trousers since they're not long enough in the leg for me and definitely not wide enough in the waist." John winked as Anna scowled, "But no, I'm not doing this for the chance to 'hook up'. I'm doing it because I need a place to go, a place to clear my head, and you need someone who plays better than your horny teenage boys trying to score with their third cousins."

"They're fourth cousins around here."

"Whatever. They all have back roads for their ATVs to ride to their doomsday bunkers. Same difference." John extended his hand to her over the bar, "Do we have a deal?"

Anna took a deep breath, studying his hand and then his eyes. Once again, they drew her in and threatened never to let go, and Anna exhaled. She took his hand in a firm shake, "Deal."


	4. Hell on Wheels

Anna counted the change in the till, marking on the paper next to her as the gangly ginger man ducked out of the kitchen to gather another plastic bin filled with dishes from the empty tables.

"I've never seen so many people filling tables Ms. Smith." He squeezed around a table, stacking another bin to carry two in one go.

"Neither have I and careful, Alfred," Anna warned as his stack wobbled. "You break them you buy them."

"Yes Ms. Smith."

Anna shook her head, finishing the last pile before dividing it up into smaller piles. Someone tapped on the bar and she managed a half smile for John. He leaned his arms on the bar, nodding toward the money, and spoke.

"Not a bad haul for your night?"

"Better than most nights, since it doesn't hurt me to say it." Anna pushed over one of the piles. "That's rightly yours, Mr. Bates."

"Is it now?" He put a hand to his chest, acting surprised, "How'd you figure that?"

"It's the cash take for the night and I've already divided it evenly since we all split tips here."

"Seems unfair if you've got someone pretty personable who then has to share with your less-liked waiters." John counted through the money as Anna snorted.

"Or my adored musical talent?"

John laughed, "I'm not here to take your money. Just what's owed a man for a night's work and nothing more."

"I think I picked up on that when everyone kept asking how I got such a famous personality as you to play here." Anna pulled out her mobile and swiped to show him a picture she pulled from the internet. "If you'd told me you were this famous I wouldn't have auditioned you."

He shrugged, "You never asked."

"Well, Mr. Famous Blues, Mrs. Patmore's just dithering over your skills and saved you some dinner." Anna pointed back to the kitchen, "Enjoy it before you clean yourself out for the night."

"Clear out?"

Anna frowned, "You've got to find a place to bunk down don't you?"

"About that," John held up a finger, pointing it toward the ceiling. "If I heard Gwen right this afternoon then that spot above you's free."

"You heard her try to convince me we should buy the space and rent it out as a drunkard's layabout." Anna shook her head, "It's nothing but cobwebs and creaking boards."

"Good enough for me." John walked the edge of the counter, "I've bunked in leaky bus stations and more than a few depots. A bit of dust isn't going to do me any harm."

"It will if you're found there and then arrested for trespassing."

"I guess it's worth the risk to me."

"Jail time?"

"There are quite a few good blues songs related to prison."

"Are you always this incorrigible?"

John grinned, "Usually."

Anna sighed, "I'll let you on my sofa for the night but I expect you to get yourself someplace more permanent if you're going to be my employee here. I don't put up with tardiness, belligerence, or laziness."

"I'm none of those things."

"I hope not."

Anna divided the cash between her employees, all gathered in the back to eat the left overs from Mrs. Patmore, and then grabbed a rag of her own. Turning on the radio she smiled to herself as the mournful song came on. Whistling to it, Anna wiped over the tables and flipping chairs into place for a moment before she sang along.

" _Where the working man does his best to provide, safety and shelter for kids and wife. Given little love an' soul every day, making over time to keep the wolves away._ "

A tiny noise roused her but Anna ignored it, focusing on a particular stubborn stain before moving on to the next table. Her voice picked up and the radio crackled a moment in the last strains of the song. " _So goin' for broke with every song I've made, 'cos now it's my turn to keep the wolves away_."

"That's a shame."

Anna jumped, noticing John at the bar. She pointed a finger at him, "You're too bloody quiet for your own good."

"And you're not a bad singer. It's Uncle Lucius but still, takes a bit of soul to sing the songs of desperation and fear."

"Takes experience is all." Anna hopped over the bar, wiping it down from her side. "And what'd you know about it, Mr. Famous Blues Singer?"

"You can't sing the blues or delve into dark country without having traveled there a stretch." John nodded at her, "How'd you learn the way?"

Anna gripped the edge of the bar a moment, staring at him as if to find something other than sincerity there, but pushed off when she could detect no ulterior motive. "Got trapped here."

"And how does someone, like yourself, get herself strapped to a trashy blues bar?"

"I told you, guy left me for a waitress with my name on the lease."

"But you don't just put your name on the lease to help a kind stranger." John leaned forward, "You tell me yours I'll tell you mine."

"That's assuming I care what brought John Bates, blues singer, into my bar."

"It's an offer."

"It's not necessary."

"Then let me tell you what I think happened." Anna raised an eyebrow but John continued. "I think Anna Smith, aspiring journalist, got herself in too deep with an investigation and the only way out was this bar."

"Do you now?"

John held up his mobile, showing her the articles. "You're not the only one with access to the internet."

"I guess I didn't count on your sleuthing skills."

"And I'll be a bit more wary of yours." John tucked the mobile back into his pocket. "What got you stranded here?"

"In this town or this bar?"

"Does it matter?"

"Not really since it's the same answer." Anna shrugged, "The guy I sold out for, the one who abandoned me to this bar, is who. I was in a bit of trouble given what I'd published about some not-so-nice people and he offered to help me out. Gave me a place to crash and a little side gig with his band that played here."

"You play?"

"I sang." Anna waved off John's widened eyes. "I'm not that good and it didn't matter since we were the late act so everyone was smashed by then anyway."

"You've got a good voice."

"I don't sing anymore."

"Then my ears deceived me when I walked out here earlier?"

"That's not singing. It's reminiscing and it's what landed me in this shithole so I'm not overly fond of it as an activity anymore."

"That's a shame."

"Depends on you're point of view." Anna waved a hand at the dim bar around them. "The option for the lease came up and he convinced me that we should pitch in for it together. That we could both make a new start and arrange it like we were business owners or something."

"Then what?"

"Then, after giving him a year of my life and all the blood, sweat, tears, and blues variations on pop songs we could manage, I opened the store cupboard to find him dick deep in one of our waitresses. He tried to convince me it was the first time but I knew it wasn't." Anna shrugged, "It only got worse when I woke up the next morning on my saggy mattress to find he'd taken my car and the cash in my wallet to leave me with the bar while he and the waitress decided to scarper off."

"He left you?"

"After I gave my life to save his."

"What?"

Anna bit the inside of her cheek, pulling a stretched smile and shaking her head. "It's jus an expression."

"Feels more than that."

"So did our relationship but I guess you never really know someone until the bill man's beating at the door and the bank's got pink papers tacked to your windows."

"Then you're climbing out of the hole still?"

"As I mentioned earlier this afternoon, I'll spend the rest of my life climbing out of this hole and so will any progeny I ever have the misfortune of bringing into this world."

"You don't want kids?"

"I don't want them to have me." Anna stopped, blinking, "How'd we get onto this topic?"

"Followed the rabbit down the hole I guess."

"Even knowing what that reference means, it still sounds vaguely sexual." Anna checked her mobile. "We've got a breakfast rush in a little under five hours so I'd suggest we all pack up before daylight comes before we're ready for it."

John blew out a puff of air, shaking his head, "How are you not dead on your feet?"

"It's perpetual exhaustion, Mr. Bates. It eventually runs into a continuous loop and you deal with it." Anna locked the doors and flipped the switches with the locks. "If you're still up for the sofa-"

"Yes." John grabbed his things, "After you."

They closed up the rest of the bar, leaving it dark and forlorn next to the rest of the blackened buildings, and Anna clicked the fob to her car. The headlights blinked at them before the boot popped open. John followed the silent cue, storing his things there, and shutting it as Anna climbed into the front seat. Once he joined her they set off, John pushing the seat back as far as it could go to stretch out his legs.

"Sorry for my tiny car."

"You're a tinier woman."

Anna feigned offense, "I'll have you know I'm exactly average height."

"I'm above average height and I can tell you that the weather up here isn't better and neither is the company." John leaned the seat back. "Though you definitely bought a car with the idea that most of the occupants would be far more average."

"I wouldn't know anything about average but I can tell you that the few encounters in this car that were above average were below average themselves."

John made a choking sound in his throat and Anna smiled to herself as he struggled to find words. "I do hope you're speaking in euphemistic terms."

"Of course." Anna turned down an avenue framed by trees all dangling marsh-like moss. "Usually it's a quickie because I'm married to my job but there was one good run in the backseat."

"Only one?"

"It was before I found out my boyfriend was shagging other women as well as me." Anna pulled into a drive and parked the car. "There weren't many chances after that to do much more."

"I thought your boyfriend drove off in your car."

"I didn't way it was that boyfriend." Anna got out of the car, leading the way to the house as John retrieved his things. "Surprising as it may seem, I do tend to date the fourth cousins and inbreeds around here."

"Because you like them?"

"Because everyone needs a hobby, Mr. Bates." Anna unlocked her front door and switched on the light, "Welcome to my home."

John set his guitar case on the floor by the door and took his tentative first step into the house. He circled the small sitting room, moved through the kitchen, and noted the back room leading to the garden. As he came back through the mudroom to the sitting room Anna pointed to the sofa.

"That's yours for the night."

"You don't seem very sure of that."

Anna raised an eyebrow, "Why wouldn't I?"

John shrugged, "I don't know but my experience says that when a woman plays with her keys she's delaying something."

Looking down Anna noted the keys still in her hands and hurried to set them on the little table by the door. "You're very sure of that are you?"

"I think you're nervous."

"About you?" Anna snorted, "Don't flatter yourself."

"Am I wrong?" John took a step toward her. "The last man you had in this house betrayed you and now you're giving use of your couch to a veritable stranger. That doesn't make you nervous?"

"It makes me something."

"Curious?"

Anna turned to lock the door and then found John in front of her. "Intrigued is my word for it."

"It's a synonym." John risked a finger to trace the line of her face. "Didn't you study journalism in school?"

"I also studied anatomy." Anna flicked her eyes down a moment, "And I know that if you get what you want you'll just leave. They all do."

"What if I promised to stay?"

"Why? This is a shit town with nothing for anyone with a real skill."

"I only want one thing."

"What?" Anna surprised herself with the levelness of her voice.

"You."

Her arms wrapped around his neck and sealed her lips to his. John proved a little more dexterous with his hands as one found her hip, slipping under the fabric of her vest to hold at the small of her back, and the other cupped around her jaw to give him the range of motion to the kiss that she immediately gave over to. They bumped against the wall next to the door and Anna used the moment to shift her leg over his hip.

John pressed closer, Anna gasping in their kiss at the feel of him pressing against her stomach. She broke the kiss, taking his hand, and led him down the hall. With the tinge of color on the horizon as their only guide they found her bed.

Anna sank into the sagging mattress with John's weight over her. His hands moved so softly over her that the whispers of her clothing leaving her body were almost a dream. Her hands proved their worth when years of flipping bottles and mixing drinks led to matching thumps of fabric hitting the floor.

The darkness and the silence were only broken by moans and gasps, muffled cries and whimpers while their fingers and mouths sought to explore every inch of the new body presented to them. Anna fell over the edge first, her nails digging their marks into John's side and shoulders. And John followed after with a bruising grip at her hip.

They settled on the mattress together, their harsh breathing giving sound to the scent of sex surrounding them. Anna turned her head enough to see the grin spread over john's face and snorted. "You've every right to be proud of yourself."

"I take it you enjoyed it then?" John faced her, "Because I did."

"It was Heaven on wheels."

"What?" John laughed, "What does that mean?"

"It means you're the best I've had in awhile."

John stayed silent a moment, "I thought the phrase was 'Hell on Wheels'."

"It is." Anna grabbed a blanket, "But that's what I call those who leave in the morning."

His fingers trailed over her skin and she met his eyes, "I'm not leaving."

"I guess we'll see about that in the morning won't we?" Anna settled with her back to him, "Good night, Mr. Bates."


	5. Beyond these Walls

Anna blinked, frowning at the mattress sagging more than usual. When she tried to turn and felt a weight at her back she remembered why. She smiled to herself and closed her eyes, breathing in rhythm to John's chest pressing at her back. When she shifted to take back more of the blanket her breath caught.

The simple smile at he stayed for the morning edged toward a deliciously malicious grin when Anna twisted at the hips to drag her ass over the half-hard proof of John's turn around time. His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her in place as his lips descended toward her ear. When he spoke Anna could not suppress a shiver.

"You're playing with fire Ms. Smith."

"It's hot enough." She turned her neck, bringing a hand up near his eyes, "There's still some sleep there. Maybe I should let you rest."

"Or," His hips rutted against her and any air in Anna's lungs rushed out with her gasp. "You could help me take it off."

"Could I?" Anna ran her fingers through the hair just above his ear, tangling a moment as if contemplating something while her other hand covered his at her waist and started tracking it downward.

"It'd only be fair."

"Since I woke you?"

"Since you're already wet." His teeth nipped at her earlobe, tracking his lips over his neck in time with his fingers taking long strokes at her folds. "I don't think I could bear the thought that I left you unsatisfied after you were so generous with your time and bed last night."

"Generosity works both ways." Anna bit down a moan when John's leg separated hers, giving him full access. "I'd be a poor host if I didn't offer you anything."

"You're offering me plenty." John kissed over her shoulders. "I get to wake up next to a beautiful woman, like yourself, and enjoy her company for a little while longer."

"Only a little while?" Anna struggled to keep her mind focused on what she wanted to say, John's fingers teasing her open driving all conscious thought from her brain.

"That's up to you." John paused, circling with his wrist to send his finger touching every muscle as he slipped it further and further inside. "You're the boss."

"Then you realize how wildly inappropriate it is that we're doing this right now yes?" Anna dug her fingers into his hair, her other hand clamping on his wrist to force his motions but he resisted.

"It was inappropriate last night too but I'm pretty sure you've got a loose fraternization policy."

"And why's that?"

"Because you've never looked twice at any one else." John stopped, a second finger buried with the first as his thumb stroked at her nerves.

Anna struggled to haul in a deep breath and slid her shoulder over his chest to see his face. "Have you?"

"I haven't stopped looking at you since we met yesterday."

Anna leveraged herself up enough to meet his lips and let her hips rock onto his hand. It took only a moment for John's determined ministrations to bring Anna over the ledge and she choked out her finish. He massaged her down, easing her onto her back and looking down over her.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded, taking a deep breath, "I don't know how I couldn't be."

"It's a little intense from someone you just met."

"Maybe. But that someone gave me two orgasms in less than twelve hours so I'll take whatever's required to get that." Anna shifted slightly, nodding to him. "And you?"

"What about me?"

"You look like you're in a bit of a state." Her fingers smoothed the skin of his abdomen, tracing downward as John's eyes fluttered. "I'm sure you've still got some sleep you need to get off."

"I need something… off." John struggled to swallow, "But it's-"

"Your turn." Anna sat up, pressing John back onto the bed. "And I'd like to return the favor, if I can."

John could barely manage his nod as Anna set her knees on either side of his legs and massaged his hips. "I do have a question."

"What?" Anna's nails had the tiny hairs on his body standing on end when she traced his base and stroked up his sac. "I'm all ears."

"Last night… we didn't…" John's fingers clenched the sheets under him and Anna's ears perked up at the creak of her old bed.

"Didn't what?"

"No protection." He gasped when Anna squeezed near the base and pulled up to run her thumb over the tip of his erection. "I didn't have anything or think about it and we-"

"We're fine." Anna kept her fingers flexing over him as she bent to give John her own trail of kisses, snaking toward his neck. "I'm completely safe."

"Are you sure? Because IUDs can fail and implants can-"

"Please, Mr. Bates," Anna gave a particularly long stroke that left John's eyes rolling into the back of his head, "Can you be here, in this moment, with me?"

He nodded and Anna left a kiss on his lips before pulling back, "I'm going to continue."

She lifted a leg and turned around to leave him a view of her back. Bending over, Anna let her hand wrap him tighter so she could take him in her mouth. His strangled cry left her smiling around him.

Her tongue slipped over his skin, teeth occasionally scraping enough to leave him writhing under her, and the fingers of her free hand found his sac again. The velvet grew hotter and her touch harder until his hands clamped on her hips. Anna paused as John sat up, lifting her into position, and dragged them to the edge of the bed so his feet could hit the floor.

"Please?" Was all he could whisper to her and Anna lifted just enough with her knees to position herself.

The response to his request was one of the easiest she could make. A glint of morning light caught on the mirror and Anna caught sight of them. She kept her focus there while John's fingers wrapped their bruising grip to hold her in place to meet the thrusts of his hips. But when he followed the line of her eyes Anna could swear the room jumped ten degrees higher in temperature.

They did not speak, only stared at one another through the mirror. When Anna's head went back to John's shoulder, trying to clear the passage for her lungs to fill with air, she shivered at his hands finding her nerves again. Her fingers fought for hold in his thigh and his shoulder, hips jerking and rocking in response to his motions.

John bit down on her shoulder, finally dropping her gaze, and his body stuttered to release. Anna rode the aftermath, his fingers fluttering but still working to set her off, and finally broke as well. Her head found its spot on his shoulder again and John lay back on the bed with Anna resting on his chest.

She rose and fell with his breathing until she sat up, gingerly slipping free to stand beside the bed. John blinked at her and Anna shrugged. "I've got to get to work soon."

"You're home less than five hours."

"And the people of this town have to get fed and some of them choose to feed at my establishment." Anna dug around her drawers for clothes, tossing the ones from the floor toward her hampers but only half made it in. "If I'm not there then I won't make rent this month."

"Is it really so difficult?" John sat up and Anna nodded, holding her clothes in her hands but not sure if she should cover herself or pretend that it was not awkward to stand naked in front of the stranger she invited to bed.

"Yes." She manipulated the fabric in her grip. "It's a constant battle to not have to put a sign in my window that says 'we're closing' and then live in debt to banks and loan agencies for the rest of my life."

"I could help." John reached down to grab his clothes, "I've got savings and-"

"And I wouldn't take it from you." Anna grinned, bending down to rest a hand on his shoulder, "Not after all you've given me this morning."

"Both times?"

"It was three for me but yes, all those times." Anna snuck a quick kiss and went to leave the room but John caught her hand, tugging her back.

He ran his thumb over her knuckles and stared at her, "Is it too impertinent to ask a personal question?"

"I'm post-coital so now's the probably the best time since I'm satisfied."

"What's the scar on your back and why does it match the one near your pelvis?"

Anna shifted the clothing in her grip, "I'm not ready to answer that one yet."

"I felt it last night and then I saw it this morning."

"Like I said," Anna slipped her fingers free, "I've got to get to work and that story's not one I'm ready to tell yet. If it's all the same to you."

"It's fine." John bit at his lip, "I just hope you don't think I'm going to give you one like it on your heart."

"Not sure you could do that to my heart."

"Because I meant what I said last night."

"Which thing, from last night?" Anna opened her hand toward the bed. "Because I know you kept that promise and I'm very grateful."

"The one about wanting you."

Anna tried to shake it off, "You've had me so I guess you fulfilled that too."

"No, that's not what I mean." John stood, letting his clothes drop to the bed so he stood before her bare, body and soul. "From the moment I walked into your bar I knew I wanted you."

"I'm not some item you can pick off the menu."

"I don't think you are." He trailed the back of a finger over her cheek. "I think you're the endgame. You're everything I could ever want."

"You don't know what you're saying when you say that." Anna took a deep breath. "Other than the monetary debts I owe, I've got one for my soul that'll haunt me to my grave. You don't want to take that on."

"But what if I do."

"Then I'll remind you that you don't know me." Anna stepped back, "Just like I don't know you."

John did not respond as Anna nodded toward the room, "I'll be done with my shower in about twenty minutes. Then it's yours and I'll drop you anywhere you want in town before I get to work."

"I'm still scheduled to sing tonight."

"If you want." Anna walked down the hall, shutting herself in the bathroom.

She sat on the edge of the tub, dropping the clothes to the floor, and tried to cover her sobs with the sound of running water.

* * *

Anna wiped at the bar, ignoring Gwen's smirk, and sighed. "We should be fine until the lunch rush so I'm going to go back to the office and stare at bills until I want to stab myself in the eye."

"I would've thought you had a few minutes to catch me up on what happened last night."

Gwen leaned on the bar across from Anna but Anna refused to look at her, shuffling the bills in her hand quickly and counting them before folding over a portion to give Gwen. "What do you think happened last night?"

"I think you took our lovely new performer home and he actually had you."

"A lady never kisses and tells."

"You're not a lady and a wink's as good as a nod." Gwen took her tips and tucked them into the front pocket of her jeans. "That's the face of a woman finally sexually satisfied."

"A face I'm sure your lover'll give you in short order." Anna put her hands on the bar and nodded to a corner. "Take your break and maybe get some shut eye."

"Why?" Gwen frowned, "We always close early on the fifteenth."

Anna stopped, "What'd you say?"

"Today's the fifteenth." Gwen pointed to the calendar behind Anna's head. "You always have us close early if the performer's good enough and then I get some shut eye before one am."

"Yes you do." Anna untied her apron, "I'll be back."

"What's wrong? Leave your oven on?"

"Something like that." Anna pushed out the back doors and walked toward her car.

Just as she went to open the door she noticed something in the window above the bar. She squinted and then took the metal stairs to the door there. Wrenching it open she called out to the person in the space.

"What are you-"

He turned and smiled at her, "Hello Anna."

Anna's face fell and she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to suppress a shiver while a bead of sweat rolled down her back. "What are you doing here?"

"I came back to see how the place's running."

"You mean you're here because you're sex partner ran off."

"Edna and I parted ways amicably."

"Don't bullshit me Alex." Anna opened her hand to the space around them. "This is private property and you're trespassing."

"Don't you remember the dreams we had for this space?" Alex walked to the side of the room, gesturing with his hands. "We were going to have it like a coffee bar for the lushes who couldn't quite get the cab home."

"And here," He walked to another corner, "We wanted a juice thing or table or breakfast nook or benches and crap where they could all sober up for their daily grind."

"I remember."

"What happened to all that dreaming?" Alex dropped his arms, "We had big plans for this place."

"You slept with one of our waitresses and then skipped town with her, leaving me with your debts." Anna gathered her courage, "Get out, Alex. You don't belong here and you already proved you don't want to be here."

"But see," He wagged a finger at her, "I was wrong there. I realized that."

"Before or after Edna kicked you to the curb when you inevitably found someone else to screw?"

"I'm not perfect." Alex pointed a hand to his chest. "I'm just a man with needs and sometimes those needs have to be met on a different schedule."

"You're a pig and a dick. Unfortunately you're a bigger dick in personality than you are in reality." Anna pointed to the door, "Get out before I call the cops."

"What are they going to do?" Alex stalked toward her, pouting, but it put the hair on the back of Anna's neck on end. "Stick me in that tiny cell in their sheriff's office for twenty-four hours? Take my mug shot? Let me out in the morning with a warning to behave myself?"

"No, they'll serve that warrant they have out for you after you tried to sell drugs." Anna nodded at the door, Alex standing just a foot from her. "Now get out."

"I don't think so." Alex put his hands together, tipping his head close to her ear to whisper there. "See, I'm in a bit of a jam with some old friends of ours and I need cash."

Anna tightened her jaw when his fingers brushed at the scar near her pelvis before batting his hands away. "Then find it somewhere else. I've got nothing."

"You gave Gwen a tip this morning."

"Those were her tips and all the rest of the money goes right back into that shithole bar you hung around my neck when you left." Anna pushed Alex back, "I hope you rot in whatever hole they already dug for you out in the swamp."

"You listen to me bitch," Alex grabbed Anna's face, squeezing there, "You're going to help me out or I'll give you to them."

Anna scratched her nails down Alex's face, leaving deep gashes before bringing her knee up toward his crotch. She missed but got him in the solar plexus before bringing her heel down toward his shin. He howled, stumbling back, and Anna tried to make a break for the door.

His fingers caught her arm, wrenching her around, and Anna felt the full force of his slap. It knocked her to the floor, distorting her balance when it left her ear ringing. Anna tried to stand but slip on her knees as Alex landing on her back.

She hit hard, her focus distorting as Alex leaned his weight onto her shoulder to hold her to the dirty floor. But what she expected never came. Instead the weight lifted off her back and Anna blinked to reorient herself only to see John's fist meeting Alex's face.

Based on the blood coming from his nose, not for the first time.

Anna managed to stand, fumbling for her mobile, and dialed 9-1-1 as John landed another blow. It left Alex staggering into a back wall. But that only opened his side for John to drive another fist hard enough to leave Alex sucking for air.

"What's your emergency?"

"I've been attacked. Please send help." Anna managed, the phone dropping from her loose grip.

Her knees gave out but she did not hit the floor again. Arms wrapped around her and Anna blinked to see John there. She held onto his shirt , taking deep breaths as he rubbed his hand over his back.

"It's going to be alright."

"Where's-" Anna tried to move but John held her steady.

"He's out cold. He's not going anywhere."

"That's what worries me."


	6. Little More Holy

Anna rested her head back against the pillow as Gwen patted her hand. "They say it's just overnight."

"I know, it's just-" Anna put a hand to her head, "I'm fine and I need them to say I'm fine so the insurance I don't have won't rack up more bills I can't pay."

"Doctor Clarkson says differently about you being fine and I think we should listen to a man who spent more years in school than either of us combined." Gwen lowered her voice, "And we'll worry about you paying for this another time yeah?"

Someone knocked at the door and they both turned to see John standing there. "Hope I'm not interrupting."

"Not at all." Gwen grabbed her bag and stood, "Since our fearless leader's out I'll be managing tonight so I'd better get back."

"I hope you don't mind me not playing." John held up his bandaged hand, "Fingers got a bit bent out of join in the scuffle."

"Oh no," Gwen smiled at him, "It's better that you be here, keeping her company. Besides, it'll just make tomorrow all the better for our patrons."

Gwen left and John took her seat as Anna spoke. "You're not playing tonight?"

"It'd seem inappropriate to play when you're here." John shrugged, "Besides, who would I play to if you're not glaring at me from behind your bar."

"How is it that you can make me sound like such a bitch while being so charming at the same time?"

"It's a gift."

"I wish you had another one."

"You almost sound disappointed by that." John jerked a thumb toward the door, "Should I leave you alone with the television and its inevitably bad reception?"

"No, I was…" Anna sighed, "I don't want you to leave and I am grateful you're here. It's… nice. Nicer than I thought it would be."

"Because I'm just the man sleeping on your sofa?"

"Pretty sure you haven't used the sofa."

"Do you want me to?"

Anna pursed her lips a moment, "Pretty sure that'd be a waste of your talents if you slept on my shitty sofa."

"Really?" John grinned and Anna raised an eyebrow.

"Don't get any ideas Mr. Bates." Anna worked herself deeper into the pillows. "The sofa's got this wooden bar in the middle that's bound to dig into your back and there are at least three loose springs that could get caught in your skin."

"Worried I might scar?"

Anna quieted, "Scarring's not a good thing in my experience."

John leaned forward, "Sometime I should show you the scar on my right leg."

"I saw it last night." Anna turned toward him, "Army days?"

"It's what turned me to drinking." John settled into his chair, trying to find comfort. "But it's not what you think."

"What do I think?"

"That I got it because I was in the Army, and that's technically true, but the reality is that it was my wife's parting gift to me… before she left me for the man she was shagging in our bed when I was on duty or away for a tour." John rubbed at his right knee, as if the muscle memory responded in kind with his sequential memory. "I confronted her with the divorce papers, signs of her infidelity with them, and she tried to run me over with the car."

"And you survived."

"I'm bigger than I look."

Anna made a show of looking over the side of the bed. "I sized you up just fine."

John grinned, "Yes you did."

"What happened?" Anna leaned over and John frowned, "To your wife."

"We divorced and I haven't seen her since I gave her the house." John shrugged, "The drinking started as a way to combat the pain since I didn't want to get addicted to the medications they gave me."

"So you got addicted to the drink instead?"

"Sad isn't it?"

"You're talking to a woman who owns a bar. If it's a sad story then I've already heard it." Anna snorted, "I've lived a lot of them myself and I'm still living a few."

"We've all got those moments. It's what makes us human."

"I do hope you're not about to feed me some story that involves everyone dumping their problems into one large pile and then just picking up their own problems again."

"So you've heard that one."

Anna scoffed, turning her focus toward the ceiling, "I'm starting to think you only act like you're Mr. Famous Blues Singer but you're actually a priest trying to get me back to church."

"Do you like church?"

"I did when I was little but God and I haven't really been on speaking terms for the last little bit."

"Any reason for that?"

"There are a number of reasons for that." Anna shrugged and then winced, the pain pulling at a muscle in her shoulder. "I think the biggest one is that I did a few things I think God might take particular umbrage to."

"He's the forgiving type."

"There's still a limit to that kind of thing." Anna sat up as the door to the room opened. John, craning around in his chair, pushed it back to stand as a man about his height entered the room. They eyed one another a moment before the new man, his star badge glinting in the buzzing lights of the room, walked around him to reach Anna.

"Are you alright?"

"Just a wrenched shoulder and some bruising. Doctor Clarkson says I'll be fine by the morning and you'll be sitting at your normal table while I serve your usual Sheriff." Anna put her hand on his arm, "It's alright."

"If I'd known he was in town I'd tar and feather him myself before finding a splinter-filled pole to jam up his ass so I could ride him out of town on it."

"That would be a sight to see and I know you would."

"Mrs. Hughes'd help me."

"You need to start calling her 'Mrs. Carson' now since that's what she is." Anna leaned up to kiss the other man's cheek. "And give her my love. I don't want her to worry about me."

"She's already worried about you staying here given your…"

"Indigent circumstances?" Anna gripped Sheriff Carson's sleeve, "I'll work something out. I always do."

"You're not one to have anyone hold you down are you?" He kissed her forehead and then drew back to stare at John. "And you don't hold back either. They're doing reconstructive surgery on Mr. Green to try and piece his nose back together."

"Serves him right."

"The thing is, Mr. Bates," Sheriff Carson consulted his notes a moment before continuing, "He wants to press charges for assault and battery."

"Then I'll press charges right back." Anna tried to sit up but her shoulder wrenched again and she hit the pillows. "I'll nail that man's ass to the floor if he thinks he's getting away with it this time."

"I said he wants to press charges," Sheriff Carson soothed, "Or, _wanted_ to press charges. Before his surgery I talked him out of such a rash and imbecilic decision based purely on the fact that he's now handcuffed to his bed."

"The warrant's still good?"

Sheriff Carson nodded and then turned to John, "Though I'm curious, Mr. Bates, how you managed to save the day so effectively."

"I own that place now." John shrugged, "I was looking over my purchase."

"You did what?" Anna tried to turn in the bed as John and Sheriff Carson faced her. "Why would you do that?"

"I need a more permanent place and I thought it'd make my travel time convenient." He winked at her, "I seem to remember you saying you expected your employees punctual."

"It's not zoned as a living space."

"It will be." John turned his attention back to Sheriff Carson. "And if Mr. Green has the gall to consider pressing charges again I'd like to present the counter suit of trespassing. I'm sure he could appreciate the beauty of the law in that moment."

"I'd hope he'd have some kind of brains to but I don't want to press my luck." Sheriff Carson lowered his voice, "Besides, I hate the man and I do hope the surgeons trying to rebuild his nose make sure he remembers, forever, what he got for coming back to this town."

John smiled at Sheriff Carson and extended a hand, "You seem like a good man Sheriff."

"My wife thinks so and that's the only person who's opinion matters." He nodded at John and then Anna. "Please don't hesitate to call if you need anything."

"Sheriff?" Anna forced her focus to Sheriff Carson, "How long's he going to be here? Alex, I mean. How long's he going to be here?"

"We'll put him in and hold him while we get that lawyer over here charge him. When that's done then we remand him to custody and pray he never makes bail."

"Right." Anna nodded, "Thank you."

"I'll keep you informed Anna and run a few more passes of your house. William's willing to run the overtime if you don't mind it."

"I don't mind." Anna smiled, "Tell him he's got a free lunch for it whenever he's in."

"I'm sure your server'd love that."

"When Daisy finally realizes what she's got she will. For now we just need her to get over Thomas."

Sheriff Carson rolled his eyes, "Don't mention that man to me."

"I won't." Anna pointed to the door, "I think Mrs. Hughes has some nightly requirements that she needs you to fill for her Sheriff."

Sheriff Carson leveled a finger at her, "I won't tolerate that kind of talk from a lady. It's beneath you Anna."

"I own a bar, Sheriff. Very few things are below me."

He did not respond, only huffing and leaving the room.

John retook his seat and jerked his head in the direction of the door. "Is your breakfast food really so good that you're almost on first-name terms with the Sheriff?"

"Good enough that he has a regular seat that would've put you on the wrong side of when you accidently almost sat in it your first night." Anna smiled, "Sheriff Carson was the one who responded when I told him I was robbed by Alex. He's been there for me the whole way and listened to my story without talking down to me, which was unusual given my history with law enforcement."

"Had a bad run of them?"

Anna flexed her jaw, "Remember how you wondered what brought a girl like me to a place like this?"

"I remember you mentioning something about getting on the wrong side of some people."

"Alex was big into trying new things and something he wanted to try was getting into the drug scene. That's how I met him, doing some research for a piece about drug usage and the drug trade in America, and he told me he knew someone so I could get some interviews."

"Did you get the interviews?"

Anna nodded, "That was the problem. I got them while the users were high so they didn't really remember giving them. When I published they were… let's just say they were less than pleased and my editor started getting threats."

"What happened?"

"Mr. Gregson was a good guy but everyone's got their limits and when some people wearing ski masks show up at your door and threaten your family you've got to call it quits." Anna shut her eyes, "He had to fire me from my job and without the protection having a profile gives you, I was up shit creek without a paddle."

"What did you do?"

"That's when Alex came riding in again, like a white knight." Anna let out a bitter laugh, "I could shoot myself for being that stupid."

"We're all stupid when we're in love."

"And more so when we're desperate."

"I've had experience being desperate in both." John brought his chair closer. "Is that when you bought the bar?"

"No," Anna shook her head. "We were buried in this little flat in Atlanta. He was doing something, I don't know what and I didn't have the presence of mind to ask, and I was writing pieces for some of the up and coming rappers there. It was a pretty decent thing we had going with me working freelance because it meant I would stay invisible while still getting paid."

"I'm guessing this story doesn't end with, 'and we lived happily ever after' because you're here right now."

Anna turned to John, "Turns out Alex was pushing drugs for the very people hoping to get me for what I published. When he had to dump a shipment because he was pulled over for speeding they were upset and wanted payback for it. So they came to our flat and wanted to take it out of his knees."

"He seemed to walk just fine."

"Because they didn't get his knees." Anna took a deep breath, "He used me as a body shield instead and the movement got someone really nervous."

She pulled up her hospital gown to show the scar near her left pelvis and the scar on her back. "The shot tore through my left side and took out my ovary before puncturing my uterus." Anna lowered the gown, "Not the kind of birth control I wanted but nothing's worked right in there since and I'm on a very strict series of medications just to balance my hormones."

John was silent a moment, "And you still went back to him?"

"I didn't know what happened for a long time." Anna gave a bitter laugh, "It's amazing what the body does to defend itself. My mind hid the memory and when Alex realized it he stole a decent amount of money and we jumped ship. Drove all the way here on a tank of gas and he put the down payment in on the bar. I used my credit, because his was shit, and we refurbished the whole place."

"So it's yours?"

"And technically some drug dealer from Atlanta I don't even know." Anna sighed, "But then I found him with our waitress and him reaching to pull Edna in front of him brought the memory back. Dropped me long enough for Alex to steal my car and my money before they booked it for L.A."

"But he's back now."

"Because he's an idiot." Anna shook her head, "Guaranteed he couldn't keep his head down and I know he didn't keep his dick down because Edna left him."

"Rule of thumb, if they'll cheat with you then they'll probably cheat on you."

"Good rule."

John tapped the fingers of his non-bandaged hand against the armrest. "Was that the deal with the devil you mentioned?"

"No," Anna shook her head, "That was… something else."

"Mind if I ask what?"

"Broad strokes? Alex got sick about six months in, the kind of sick that means you'll die and someone should call a priest to give you last rites." Anna took a breath, "We didn't have insurance, I still don't, and I was sick with worry for him."

"You were?"

"I thought I loved him and he loved me and we were building a life together."

"Funny how we look back at ourselves and cringe."

"I do more than cringe, Mr. Bates." Anna snorted, "I don't sing anymore because I used to sing with his band, that's how we met. I stepped up for their singer when she left them right before they went on stage. Should've realized it was because he was sleeping with her and she found out he decided to shag someone else too."

"So you don't sing, I'm guessing you don't write-"

"I do freelance stuff still but I can't manage it the way I used to. Not with the bar and diner to run. It covers a few groceries but it's not enough." Anna blinked at the tears forming on the edges of her eyes. "I gave up everything for him and now… now this is my reward. I'm penniless, on the verge of homeless, could be jobless, and I'll be childless… all because I trusted someone with a nice smile who was about average in the sack."

She turned to John, wiping at her eyes. "So, Mr. Bates, do you think you made a good decision now? Throwing your lot in with a woman who's so broken and spoiled and damaged there's no hope for anything but shame?"

"Why are you talking about shame?"

"Because," Anna opened her arms in a dramatic fashion, "I'm spoiled for everyone forever."

"You're not spoiled," John caught her right hand with his and Anna watched him work past the moment of pain at the bend in his damaged fingers. "You're holier and higher than anyone I've ever met because of the suffering you've been put through. You're the strongest woman I've ever met because you never crumbled under your trials an troubles. You pushed through, despite all odds and I couldn't be prouder of anyone than I am of you in this moment."

Anna sniffed, the tears finally leaking out of her eyes like her soul always needed them to but her backbone would not allow. "Truly?"

"Truly." John released her fingers, stroking back her hair with his other hand. "I hope you know that I still meant what I said."

"About playing at the bar?"

"That too but I meant about you." John moved his chair even closer to take both of Anna's hands with his and press a kiss there. "You're the woman that I want and I'm only more sure of it now."

"With everything that entails?"

"Bring it on." John smiled at her, "I need someone strong enough and you're it. You're the strongest woman in the world."

Anna shook her head, the tears showing no signs of ebbing now that she allowed the floodgates open. "I'm so tired of being strong."

"Then let me be strong for you for awhile."

"Everyone else'll just crumble under the weight of this." Anna faced him, her vision of him blurred by her tears. "I live in fear so often it's my only surviving friend. It terrifies me, petrifies me, and leaves me hollow to everything."

"That just gives you more room to be holy."

"I told you, God and I aren't really on speaking terms anymore."

"Then maybe now's your chance." John cut her off before she could argue. "And before you ask, I'm not an angel or a priest. I'm just saying, maybe it's time to give it all a chance to finally work out again. Maybe this is your chance for a fresh start."

Anna wiped at her eyes again, "You think so?"

"I know so." John assured her, kissing her hands again. "Will you let me be a part of it?"

"I'd like that."

"Good because I would too."


	7. Ain't a Believer

Gwen helped Anna stack the plastic crates with glass cups and divvy them up so each could take a stack out to the tables. "It was a bit odd but I thought, 'must be because she's gone'."

"Odd how, exactly?"

"Just the performances were…" Gwen titled her hand from side-to-side as her face scrunched into a wince. "Not the best."

"Maybe it's because we got a little used to hearing Mr. Bates." Anna flipped two glasses and set them top-up on the table. "Were they really that terrible?"

"There was one good one. She had this amazing set and it was a bit like listening to Johnny Cash with a nicer set of pipes."

"So, June Cash then?" Anna finished the table and dragged her stack to the next one.

"Should you really be lifting that when you only just got out of hospital?"

"I'm fine." Anna caught a glimpse of the calendar on the wall, "What happened, to the good set?"

"Other than impressing me?" Gwen snorted, "Minute she finishes her rendition of _Way Down We Go_ , which I love by the way, this woman comes up to her. They have this really intense, whispered conversation and then the woman left in huff."

"The girl turned her down?"

Gwen shrugged, "I've no idea what she did or didn't do. I wasn't close enough to hear what they talked about but the woman I'll assume got rejected looked angry enough to blow off the roof and the three floors above us."

"What'd she look like?"

"Cute red head. Looked like she'd been playing for awhile but when I got a word in she-"

"Not the musician," Anna set one of the empty glass crates on the bar and pulled another full one toward her. "I'm talking about the woman who left in a huff."

"Kind of ferocious. Like she'd got about ten ways to kill you and might just pull out a shotgun and do it." Gwen snapped her fingers, "She was like that character on _Orphan Black_ , the foster mom."

"Right." Anna bit the inside of her cheek and kept her back to Gwen. "Ever seen her in before?"

"I haven't but a few of the players talked about crossing her path a few times. They swapped some stories and they think she's got a record label to represent. Probably someone working to get Dark Country or Dark Jazz back to center stage."

"Like that'll happen." Anna finished her second crate and took the empty ones in her hands. "Finish with the glasses and then make sure we've got enough wrapped silverware yeah?"

"Got it boss." Gwen whistled and Anna turned before she could disappear through the swinging doors, "Mr. Bates hasn't called you or anything has he?"

"Why would he?"

"I don't know. He left a message this morning, when you were getting discharged, to say he had something to show you between the lunch and the dinner rush." Gwen handed over another empty crate and Anna adjusted her hold to better manage the stack. "He seemed excited about it."

"Should I be afraid?"

"In terms of that man? I'd only be afraid that he'll make you pregnant just by looking at you." Gwen laughed a second and then covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm so sorry Anna, that was-"

"It's fine."

"No, it's so insensitive and-"

"Gwen," Anna cut her off, "It's fine. Just finish the glasses and get the silverware out. We need to be ready for the lunch rush."

Anna used her shoulder to push through the doors and winced a second as a flash of pain went through the tender region. Heaving the crates toward the industrial sized steam cleaner, Anna worked between Mrs. Patmore and Alfred as they bustled around the kitchen to start pots and pans on the stove. She got to her office and closed the door behind her only to freeze at the sight of someone in her chair.

"It's rather dark in here." Vera circled a finger in the air, "I think you need to replace a few bulbs."

"I need a few things but bulbs aren't high on that list." Anna locked the door, "What brings you here?"

"You weren't around last night." Vera tsked, "I thought we had an agreement."

"I was in hospital."

Vera looked her up and down, "You look fine from here."

"Because I spent a night I couldn't afford in hospital after that skeezebag I traded my soul to save came back."

"Oh," Vera clapped her hands together, pursing her lips in a dramatic attempt to make it appear she thought the whole thing romantic. "Did he tell you what a mistake he thought he made and how he just loves you and was too foolish to see it before?"

"It wouldn't matter if he told me he tattooed my name on his heart, I don't care about him."

"Isn't that just how it is?" Vera leaned back in the creaking desk chair. "We think we're in love but discover it's just selfish and lustful and we're disappointed in the end."

"I hope you're not about to set fire to my chair. I don't have the money to replace it."

"This place is falling down around your ears, that's for sure."

"Then do something about it." Anna rubbed a hand over her face before putting both hands on her hips. "What do you want?"

"The best voice last night refused me."

Anna shrugged, "That's not my problem. My job, in the description you so generously gave me at my most desperate moment, was to provide a platform. It didn't say anything about pushing people into your waiting arms."

"And you don't think that's part of it?" Vera used her hands on the desk as leverage to push herself to stand. "You don't think you've got a responsibility to get people to choose what I'm offering them? You think it's just that you can find yourself blameless in the role you play in their destruction?"

"Trust me, the damnation of my soul is interesting enough when I don't have to dwell on the souls I've already sacrificed for mine." Anna set her jaw, "It's not my job to make yours easier."

"What if I made it your job?"

"Then I'd demand a renegotiation of terms." Anna crossed her arms over her chest, watching the tiny flicks of flame from Vera's fingers leave black marks on her desk as the woman rounded it to stand toe-to-toe with her. "If you want more then I do too."

"Escape? Freedom from your original bargain?"

"I sold my soul to you to save Alex Green's life, I know what that means."

Vera laughed in Anna's face. "You've no idea what that means of you wouldn't have done it. Your inability to comprehend the gravity of the deal you made that night, in desperation and fear, was what made it possible."

"If you're here to make a point, I don't need you telling me I backed the wrong horse." Anna flicked her gaze to the floor a moment, "When he ran off with another woman I got the picture then."

"No, you didn't." Vera cackled a bit, "You mortals are so small minded. Your pain is all you care about and when you feel pain you think it's the end of the world but you've no comprehension of what pain really is."

"Then explain it to me, Satan, since you know." Anna fired back, "I'm tired of you lording whatever it is you've got over me. I've not the patience for it and I'm done being frightened of you. You already own my soul, you don't get my dignity too."

"You're not in a position to make that decision." Vera's voice stayed even but Anna flinched at the edge in it. "You gave me everything when you agreed to that deal and don't ever call me 'Satan' again."

"Why not?"

"Because he's far worse than me." Vera snorted, "I'm more of a lackey in that department. An agent, as it were."

"You're Hades then?"

"It's how I can make deals." Vera took a deep breath, "What you're about to discover is that I can make your life miserable if I want to."

"It's already miserable."

"Not since John Bates entered it."

Anna froze, the blood in her veins turned to ice in a moment. "What did you say?"

"His comments to you in hospital were, touching, but just the kind of thing you needed to hear." Vera bent to put her mouth near Anna's ear. "Didn't you ever think that, maybe, he's just like Alex?"

"There's a world of difference between the two of them."

"Talents on the stage or in bed aside," Vera backed up a pace, "John Bates is very good."

"It's not your night. That was yesterday and you struck out."

"Doesn't stop the fact he's got skill."

"He's not for you."

"I'll decide that."

"I thought you said I'd decide that." Anna tightened her fingers on her own arms, possibly giving herself bruises to keep her voice even. "If that's what we're discussing."

"You'd change the terms of our agreement to keep him away from me?" Vera's eyes flashed, "That's interesting to me."

"Is it?" Anna swallowed but a niggling doubt at the back of her mind had her wondering if she already blew her lead.

"We'll not be renegotiating your contract, at the moment." Vera chuckled to herself. "Poor Ms. Smith, always losing her head over a man. Must be exhausting to be run ragged by your hormonal urges."

"He's a good man and that's not for you."

"That's for me to choose." Vera shrugged, "Everyone's got their breaking point, Anna, and if you're actually interested in saving his soul you won't try to keep him here. I can find his price and he'll pay it. They always do."

"He's too good for that."

"No one's too good for that." Vera pointed at Anna, "You weren't."

"I was a fool."

"Everyone's got the point where they'll be fools." Vera took another look around the office, "If you could manage to be here the next time I come, it'll give me a lot of comfort. I don't like dealing with your minions."

"My employees aren't for you either. They're not performers and I need them if I'm going to keep this place going."

"It's not going well though, is it?" Vera scoffed, "I thought it was a mistake to build a bar on the crossroads but you put yourself in this position and now you're paying for it."

"I've been paying for it for a long time now." Anna finally dropped her gaze, "I don't need you to remind me of everything I've lost, thank you."

"You don't?" Vera pouted again and Anna raised her head, "Then it's too damn bad you made a deal with a denizen of the Devil instead of an angel. They might give two shits about your feelings."

"They might." Anna exhaled, "Do you have anything else you want to throw in my face before you remind me of what I owe you?"

"No, I think I've reminded you of the expectations I have for you." Vera raised her right hand, "I hope you don't inconvenience me again."

"Why? Because you've so much else to do?"

"Because I don't want to drag myself back to this hole unless I need to. There are far more interesting people in the world than you and the performers you drag through here."

"Because you want them."

"I want quality, Anna, not the crap you've given me." Vera lowered her voice. "Use John Bates to get those with quality in here or I take his soul."

"You're leveraging him against me for more souls?"

"Yes, I am." Vera snapped her fingers and she vanished in a flash of red and black, leaving only a burnt smell behind.

Anna coughed at the smell and pushed the window open, using the wood block to keep it in place, and jumped when someone knocked on the door. Taking a breath, and trying to keep her voice even, Anna called out. "Yeah?"

"Mr. Bates is here and he's asking if you'll go upstairs with him."

"Now?"

"Apparently he couldn't wait. Said he's got to prepare for his set tonight and needs to run something by you now."

"Lunch rush is about to start."

"And we've got it." Gwen's voice muffled slightly by the door, "Should I tell him to pick another day?"

"No," Anna shook herself, noting the unfinished work on her desk. "I'll… I'm coming. Just manage it without me."

"Will do."

Anna left the office, keeping the door open to let more of the smell out. She dodged around a small girl who gave a mousy squeak as Anna passed and ducked under a tray Alfred worked into a warmer. Using her uninjured shoulder, Anna pushed through the swinging doors and saw John tapping out something on the bar as he noted a few things in a notebook.

"I thought you couldn't play since you got your fingers injured." Anna pointed to his still bandaged hand and John looked up in a hurry.

"I can't but I found someone to play guitar for me while I sing." John winked, tucking the little notebook and pen away. "Thought I'd call in the help of a friend."

"That's short notice."

"He was on his way here anyway." John shrugged his shoulders, "Ready?"

"Not that this'll be a big deal but, in future, please don't tell me you've got a surprise. I hate those and everything they stand for." Anna followed him out of the bar and turned almost on a pivot toward the little door between the bar and the empty storefront next to them.

"Who doesn't like surprises?"

"People like me." Anna accepted John opening the door for her and started up the stairs to the threadbare landing. "I've had too many surprises and I don't need more."

"Even good ones?"

"Those are the worst because they never last as long as the bad ones." Anna shifted in the corridor as John took out a key and unlocked the door to the room where he saved her from Green just the day before. "What are we doing here?"

"I needed you opinion about it."

"Why?"

"Because if I do anything to this space it might affect your work." John pointed above them. "It's got a large ceiling space, about two stories worth, and I think I could turn it into a nice little studio space that would then serve as the lobby for a hotel."

"Hotel?" Anna snorted, "You've only got this room."

"Not quite." John shoved his hands into his pockets. "I've got the floors above this and everything else to the end of the block."

"That's all one building."

"And I bought it."

"Help me understand." Anna shook her head, "You said last night you only bought this space."

"No, I said that I owned this space. I didn't say how much other space I bought."

Anna paced around the space as John explained his plan. "And what you meant was the whole building?"

"Yes."

She sucked the inside of her cheek, "How much money do you have, exactly?"

"I'm comfortable."

"That's what super rich people say so poor people don't feel bad about their impecunious circumstances."

John stopped, "Did you just use high class vocabulary to no feel guilty about your financial situation?"

"I was a journalism major and worked as a journalist." Anna defended and then shrugged, "I get 'word of the day' on my phone."

"Doesn't stop you trying to defend yourself with big words."

"Trust me, you've not seen me using big words yet." Anna gestured toward the wall, "So you're taking the idea he had about a juice bar or whatever?"

"No, because that's stupid. You're got a diner downstairs so why the hell would you need a juice bar?" John snorted, "You were obviously the brains in that relationship."

"That's debatable." Anna squinted around the room before sighing, "At the end of the day I think your decision to lower my rent was a mistake."

"I thought you might say that but that's just because Gwen told me not to tell you the whole truth at hospital."

Anna stopped, turning on her heel to face John. "I do hope your next comment isn't something ridiculous like you got rid of my mortgage and saved my credit."

"No, I didn't save your credit."

"And you didn't answer the first part of that question." Anna closed her eyes and held up a hand to pull at the bridge of her nose. "You paid my mortgage didn't you?"

"I may have."

Anna dropped her hand, "Great, another thing I owe you for."

John tried to come over to her but Anna backed out of his grip. "What? I'm not allowed to do something nice?"

"I don't need charity."

"At the risk of being pretty rude, because there's no nice way to avoid the bluntness in this next statement, but you do." John waved his arm out. "I've seen your house. I've ridden in your car and I've seen your bar. You're hanging on by a thread because you're noble and stubborn and everyone you trusted abandoned you."

"And you want to ride in and save me?"

"I want to help where I can." John exhaled, "I know I can't fix all the damage that Green did to you, because the wanker got in his licks before time and tide caught up to him, but I can do this and that's what I did."

"At the risk of casting aspersions, since there's no way to ask this without doing that," Anna crossed her arms over her chest, "What do you hope to get?"

"Who said I'd get anything?"

"The fact that no one does anything for free."

"Anna," John drove a hand through his hair hard enough to rip out strands. "There's no ulterior motive here. There's nothing but the desire to make your life easier."

"Why?"

"I told you, at hospital, why."

"Because I'm strong and I need someone to make it so I don't have to be strong anymore?"

John threw up his arms, "How is that you could take the act of simple kindness as an affront to your honor?"

"What would you call it?"

"A bloody great risk because I wanted you to have one less thing to worry about as you recovered and tried to get your life back together."

Anna gave a bitter laugh, "I had wrenched muscles. It wasn't anything to worry about."

"That's why you've now got hospital bills you can't pay?"

"That's none of your business."

"Because you define yourself by your pain, Anna." The tone in his voice stopped her responding. John took a breath and continued, "You've spent so long struggling you don't know what it's like to not struggle. You don't have any idea what it's like to have someone help you, without something attached to it, because you've only been used. You define yourself by your struggle and without you're afraid you'll have nothing left so you cling to it like a security blanket."

"That's what you think?"

"That's what I know, Anna." John motioned to the room around him as if he could set the scene with no props. "You don't think I didn't define myself I my shit marriage to my ex-wife by the way we hurt one another? You don't think I didn't comfort myself in the depths of my high functioning alcoholism by justifying each drink with a horrible memory or a way to self-flagellate? You don't think I-"

"Shut up!" Anna put her hands over her ears, "I don't care why you think you know me or how but you've got no bloody idea what I've suffered. You don't know what I gave up to be where I am."

"Because you hold it so close you won't let anyone see it." John shook his head, "You're so convinced no one could understand you never give anyone a chance."

"Trust me, you'd not have the foundation for it."

"How about you stop patronizing me and just give me facts instead of your little side hints." John kicked at a beam, sending a burst of dust into the air. "I'm tired of you being all mysterious about why you don't want me, about why you need your pain, about this deal you made to save an ungrateful bastard."

"It's none of your business."

"Then stop trying to act as if you can do anything about it if you're determined not to." John forced a strangled noise of frustration. "There's nothing worse than someone who refuses the help of others and won't help themselves so they just complain about it."

"When have I ever complained" Anna motioned around them. "I'm not one to broadcast my issue or my frustrations."

"Maybe you should. It'd do you a bit of good to finally have the world understand your pain."

"Don't you use that tone with me."

"We're not in a position for you to order me about." John huffed, "That's your terms, not mine by the way."

"Don't think you can use that against me."

"I can't use anything against you, apparently, because then it might mean someone has a chance of understanding you, which you clearly don't want." John sighed, the argument hanging between them in the air. "I'm here as what I hope would be a friend."

"You're not my friend," Anna fired back, "You were just a good two-time shag."

"And nothing else?"

"What, do you want a third round as gratitude for saving me yesterday?" Anna opened her arms, "Fine. We can go another round and have that be it."

"I'm not here to treat you like a prostitute."

"You can't want me for anything else."

"I already told you what I wanted from you."

"Then you're either naïve or a liar." Anna set her jaw, trying to keep tears from her eyes and emotion from her voice but failing at both. "Because the minute you have whatever it is you think you want you'll be gone and I'll be broken all over again."

John's eyes widened and Anna drove her hand furiously over her eyes to try and clear the tears but only managed to smudge her makeup. "Is that what you think of me?"

"It's what I think of everyone because that's what everyone's meant to me." Anna pushed past him for the door. He tried to grab for her but Anna knocked his hand away, biting at her guilt when his injured hand took the force of her deflection and he hissed in pain. "Just… Just leave, John. Leave my bar to fall into ruin and me to go with it. I'm not worth whatever you'll have to pay to save me."

"Anna?" John held his hand as she opened the door, "It's not like that."

"It's exactly like that." She turned to him, "Save yourself before you regret what you've done here."

"I don't regret it."

"You will."

"I don't believe that."

"You should." Anna let the door bang against the jamb behind her.


	8. Save My Soul

Anna clapped mechanically as the set finished and turned back into the kitchen. Gwen stood there and jumped out of the way as Anna pushed back into the slowing bustle. Mrs. Patmore, talking to Alfred, unconsciously moved out of the way and Anna went to her office. She ignored the smell of burnt wood that still permeated the space and sat in her chair. It creaked and when she leaned back a little farther than she should have and there was a moment her life flashed before her eyes but Anna ignored it, putting her elbows on the desk and burying her face in her hands.

After a moment, Anna dropped her hands and pulled the open letter back toward her. The crumpled edges forced her to smooth the piece out as she read the contents again. Her face furrowed and darkened as she continued until someone knocked on the door.

"Come in." Anna did not look up from the letter and only flicked her eyes toward the door as Gwen entered. "What's up?"

"Just hoping you're alright." Gwen took the seat opposite Anna and sniffed, "Were you smoking in here?"

"Plug just sparked in an outlet. It's fine." Anna went to push the letter aside but caught Gwen reading it upside down. "Here, best you know since you're the assistant manager."

"The what now?" Gwen stopped, "Are you giving me a raise?"

"I figure since you handled the night I was gone better than I have that maybe I should start giving you more responsibilities and cutting back a bit." Anna leaned in her chair, "Especially since I've got that to worry about."

Gwen read the letter, shaking her head with increasing vigor. "This is bullshit."

"Don't I know it?" Anna put her hands to her eyes and then stretched out before righting the chair. "But it's official and Sheriff Carson was ever-so-sorry to hand it to me."

"Why didn't he just taze the bastard until he didn't remember his own name?" Gwen tried to fling the paper away but it just floated to the side.

They both laughed at it, Anna pushing her fingers through her hair to secure it tighter in an elastic band. "He's already done more than he should've."

"Then let me offer the help of someone else." Gwen took a deep breath, "I know he's not officially licensed to help you but Jay knows these laws backward and forward. He could help you build your defense against this suit."

"And what does the future, John "Jay" Harding J.D. intend to help me on a case that's not tax law?" Anna covered Gwen's hand with hers. "I'll just handle it the way I do everything else."

"Half-assed?"

"Keeps my figure looking good." Anna turned her head to the sound of clapping and nodded at the door. "Who else is performing tonight?"

"Mr. Bates, as always." Gwen paused, biting at her lip, "Are you going to tell me what happened between you two?"

"It's nothing."

"It wasn't nothing Anna. Anyone who saw you two could see that."

Anna waved a hand, "He was a good shag and then he wanted to get all white knight and personal about my life." She shrugged, "That was a month ago and he's not talked to me since so the only contact we need to have comes in the checks I cut to him for this bar and his work in it."

"Did you even thank him for lowering the rent?"

"I've still got the mortgage but yes, I do recall saying thank you for trying to step in and save me." Gwen scoffed and Anna raised her eyebrows. "Please, don't hold back if you've got something to say."

"Then I hope you don't take back the lovely offer to make me your assistant manager because I want the breakfast shifts and every other lunch." Gwen moved herself to the edge of her chair, "When are you going to stop being so wounded?"

"Wounded?"

"Yeah, like the injured dog that won't let anyone help it. Even the kindly vet that wants to make it better." Gwen shook her head, "You'd rather keep the quills in your skin and rub them deeper so you can talk about how no one understands you or how they'll never know your pain but, newsflash, when you don't let anyone in you can't complain that no one's there."

Anna pursed her lips, folding her arms over her chest. "Do you think I should tell you about the nitty-gritty details of my life?"

"No but you should talk to someone. Like the man who won't take the checks I've been handing him for the last three weeks." Gwen nodded as Anna's jaw dropped. "That's right. He'll take the ones for rent but not what he's owed for the work he does on that guitar and, I'll have you know since you hide in here so you don't have to see him, he's doing it with his hand still injured."

"That man is as frustrating as he is annoying."

"I'm sure you're perfect for one another." Gwen stood, "And if the offer for assistant manager is still on the table then I'll take it for the breakfasts and every other lunch, like I said."

"You want those shifts?"

"Mrs. Patmore's taking breakfasts and lunches since she wants some vacation of her own but she thinks Alfred's cracked up to do dinner rush and the bar calls with Daisy as his assistant." Gwen rested her hands on the back of the chair, "With the money we've been pulling in since Mr. Bates started playing for us I get the feeling we could, in future, consider the benefits of getting someone else to help work the lunch and breakfast shifts on and off with Daisy."

"How about when I no longer feel like the IRS is breathing down my neck." Anna sighed, "And yes, you still have the job. You're supposed to help me get my head out of my ass on occasion."

"So you'll talk to him?"

"I didn't say you got it that far out of my ass." Anna shooed her toward the door, "And don't have Jay help with his. If he's got spare time he needs to spend it with you, not working a case the local judge won't hear anyway."

"If you're sure." Gwen opened the door, hanging in the space a bit, "And I think you should come and hear him. You know he plays for you."

"It's what would make being out there difficult." Anna waved Gwen off, "Go."

"If you insist."

The door snapped and the temporary breeze fluttered her calendar. Anna caught it before the pins pulled out of the wall and went to secure it again. As she did her eyes fell on the date. Checking against her watch, Anna let the calendar fall from the wall and hurried out into the bar.

Well into his next set, John did not even look up as she came behind the counter. The swinging doors creaked and thumped against one another and Gwen gave her a look but Anna ignored her, moving along the bar as she searched the shadows of the room. There, sitting in a corner darker than the others, glowed the outline of Vera.

Anna went to say something but John finished his song and waited for the applause to finish. As he adjusted the microphone he noticed Anna and cleared his throat, settling the guitar on his knees again. "I'd like to finish the evening with one of my favorites and I hope you all don't mind if I return to one of my favorites and the song that got me this job."

He plucked the chords, working his fingers over them with care and consideration given they flexed stiffly. Anna flicked her gaze between John and Vera, noting how she sat up a little taller than she had a moment before. Their eyes met and Anna shivered as if cold water sluiced down her back.

" _I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel. I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real. The needle tears a hole, the old familiar sting. Try to kill it all away but I remember everything. What have I become, my sweetest friend? Everyone I know goes away in the end._ "

Anna jumped over the bar, surprising someone sitting on the other side, and moved toward Vera's corner booth. She took the seat opposite her, keeping her back to John and holding Vera's gaze without blinking. "You can't have him."

"I rather think that's his choice, isn't it?" Vera drew her finger in the air, tracing the other performers from the evening. "They're not much to shake a stick at but him… he's skilled."

"Then he doesn't need to give you his soul, does he?" Anna motioned toward the others. "Take any of them you want."

"How fascinating." Vera leaned forward, her lips curled back to leer at Anna and, it may have been her imagination, she could have sworn the blues eyes boring into her glowed red a moment. "You'd sell them for him. Last time I got the feeling you were going to sell yourself to save him."

"If it comes to it then you're damn right I'd sell you my soul so you let him go." Anna risked a look over her shoulder as John's voice broke through the sound of them speaking.

" _Full of broken thoughts, I cannot repair. Beneath the stains of time, the feelings disappear. You are someone else… I am still right here._ "

"He's got a good voice, I'll give him that." Vera settled back in her seat. "And as much as you want to save that voice you can't."

"Why not? You like making deals and I could-"

"Because you've got nothing left to give me, Ms. Smith." Vera nodded at John as he finished the song. "You sold your soul for the wrong man too early. Too bad you couldn't try to save him. That might've been worth your time."

Anna closed her eyes, gritting her jaws to keep her tears to herself and not show weakness in front of Vera as John's voice floated back to her.

" _If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself… I would find a way._ "

She pushed herself to stand as Vera did, the other woman grinning with her canines as she clapped with the rest of the audience. Anna pushed away from the table, a roiling sick feeling emanating through her body, and tried to get back to the bar. But something bumped her and Anna stared up at John.

Before she could say a word, another voice echoed about them. "It's been a long time Batesy. How are you?"

Anna tried to manage a step to the side as she watched John's face harden, his jaw muscles tightening like his fingers on the strap of his guitar slung over his shoulder. She gaped and swallowed, keeping to herself and trying to sink into the background as the two people before her faced off like titans about to engage in world-splitting combat. Vera continued to smile at him and John shook with whatever energy or rage kept him rooted to the spot and silent.

"That's no way to talk to your ex-wife."

"I'm trying not to talk to you at all. Just like I've tried not to think about you at all since you tried to kill me with the car."

"I didn't want you dead." Vera huffed, "Just too injured to run away."

"Maybe you should've thought about that before you took other men to our bed."

"What was I supposed to do while you were away?"

"Respect the same marriage vows I respected." John stabbed at his chest with his clenched fist and stopped himself with monumental effort from continuing into a tirade. "Whatever the reason that you're here, please leave me be. I'm not interested in digging up a past it's best we both forgot and pretended never happened."

"See that's the thing, Batesy." She dragged a finger along his arm and John stepped back, out of her reach. "I'm here to make you an offer."

"Whatever it is, the answer's no."

"You've not even heard what it is."

"Why would I need to?" John scoffed, "If it comes from you then it's a bad break all around and I'm not interested."

"What if I told you it concerned Ms. Smith here?" Vera waited, watching John's brow furrow as Anna's whole body went cold. He darted a look at her as Vera gave a laugh to grind at Anna's teeth. "That's right, you're delicate Ms. Smith's involved and you might want to hear me out."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure you twisted her into it."

"Think so highly of your bed buddy do you?"

"Watch your mouth Vera," John pointed a finger in Vera's face but then hissed back sucking it into his mouth as the slightly scent of burnt skin filled Anna's nose.

"It's you who needs to watch himself." Vera's voice practically growled and all the hair on Anna's arms rose. "I found something, after we ended, that might interest you. Something that gave me a chance to do something more with my life."

"Like what?"

"I collect souls, John."

"Souls?"

Vera jerked her head at Anna, "You can ask her all about it. She was one of the first and she's helped me collect them for some time now." Vera turned to Anna as she closed her eyes and hung her head. "She's been alright about the whole thing but it's… tiring. Something about the pesky moralistic complaints she has."

"I don't doubt it."

"Oh," Vera laughed again and Anna brought her head up, biting her lip hard enough to taste blood as she fought back the burning tears of shame. "They trouble her but she does it anyway. It's the powder of wanting to save yourself over saving others. It's such a fickle business, morals, when they interfere with self-preservation."

"Not sure you'd know what life would be like with morals to argue with your self-preservation instincts Vera." John bit out, not looking at Anna, and pushing past her. "Don't come here again."

"Haven't you heard?" Vera called after him and John stopped. "I own this bar. Ms. Smith here just manages it for me."

John did not turn around, pushing out the back exit toward the street. Anna bit her tongue as she tried to keep herself from launching her five-foot-nothing frame at the taller woman. Vera faced her, laughing and then grew deathly serious.

"If I can't have him, no one can. Are we clear?" Anna tried to push after him but Vera grabbed her arm. "Are we clear Ms. Smith?"

"Let go of my arm." Anna wrenched herself away. "I provide the entertainment but that's all of me you own."

"I have your soul."

"No, you have what's left of it." Anna left Vera in the room, following John out the back door.

She looked around, the orange glow of the lot behind the building giving everything a sickly hue, and spotted John leaning against the side of the building. His guitar hung in his hand, tipped on the ground as he ran his hand through his hair as if on repeat. Anna stepped forward, wringing her hands, and cleared her throat.

John turned to her and snorted, "Come to tell me off for trying to help you again?"

"No," Anna shook her head so violently she wondered if she could shake her own brain loose. "I came out here to see if you're alright."

"Never better." John choked up on the stem of his guitar, stepping away from the wall a pace. "I just didn't realize exactly how I wrong I was about everything."

"John I-" Anna tried to muffle her scream as John grabbed his guitar with the other hand and smashed it against the wall.

Splinters flew everywhere, strings snapping and sounding as the bits broke away. John kept smashing the guitar, driving it into the brick with all the energy he could muster, and finally stopped when it was splinters and shards in his hand. He tossed them away to walk a small circle as he cursed to himself.

"Somehow she always manages to turn up and ruin my life. It doesn't matter what I do or how far I go she's here to ruin everything I want or love or-"

"It was my choice, John." Anna broke through his pacing and muttering, forcing herself to hold his gaze as he gaped at her. "I sold her my soul."

"That's what you meant… the first day I was here?"

Anna nodded, "It was just after Alex and I got the bar. We bought it from her and a few weeks later Alex got sick. He was laid up in hospital for weeks and I didn't have insurance for him. He didn't have insurance and the bills for him and the bar stacked up. Worse still, at the time, the doctors didn't give him a high chance for survival." She stared at her hands, inspecting her shaking fingers with an interest she had not possessed for them since she was a child. "That's when she showed up and offered me a way to save him and the bar. To fix it all. All I had to do was give her a place to find other souls and…"

"And you sold her yours as collateral in the interim?"

Anna swallowed, "I sold my soul to save that bastard's life and then he ran out on me with someone else. He took everything I had, everything I'd managed to build, and stole my life with it."

"But Vera wouldn't return your soul?"

"It's the way it works, apparently." Anna shrugged, "The deal goes one way until I have the souls to match mine and free myself."

"So the players here…"

"Only on the night of the dark of the moon." Anna snorted, wiping at her eyes as a way to distract herself. "Have to hand it to her for being one for drama. She appreciates the imagery of collecting her souls on the darkest night of the month."

"How many souls?"

"I honestly don't know. I just give them a place to play and she watches. If she likes them she extends them the offer."

"What's the offer?"

"It's like the blues legends, about meeting the Devil at the crossroads to sell him your soul to play the blues." Anna opened her arms, "Few people notice the bar's built on a crossroads. And some of the people here come and she offers them the chance to play better and they take it."

"But not all of them?"

"Not all of them are worth her giving them the offer." Anna pointed at John, "But she wants you. She wants you something fierce and I can't-" She stared down at her hands again and jumped when John's covered them.

"You can't let her have me so you tried to drive me away?"

"I knew it the first time you played here." Anna nodded back toward the building. "The first time you played that song you played tonight. I knew you couldn't stay because she'd want you. I didn't know how much but I didn't want to risk your soul."

"What about all the others?"

"I didn't know them and it was always their choice in the end." Anna blinked, her eyes hazing as tears clouded her vision of the sight before her, bathed in the orange light. "I was selfish and trying to get free and-"

John's hand at her back pulled her close to him and Anna broke. Her sobs soaked his shirt and she clung there while her body shuddered and racked with the emptying of her soul. What little of it she had left.

Finally, Anna pushed herself away to wipe at the remaining tears. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, that I pushed you away, that I insulted your efforts, that I got tear stains all over your shirt, that I couldn't tell you what was going on, that Alex's is now coming after you and-"

She did not finish. John's lips landed on hers and for the half second it took Anna to realize what was going on, she was immobile. In the next moment she threw her arms around his neck and held fast to him as his hand came to the back of her head to hold her in place. They tried to wrap closer to one another, pulling air from the lungs of the other in a desperate need to be as close as they could manage, and John only broke the kiss to lift Anna off her feet and back her toward the wall.

The rough bricks caught and pulled at her shirt but Anna only cared about getting closer to John. Her legs wrapped around his waist, trying to steady herself, but it was like trying to stay balanced on a merry-go-round. She clutched his shoulders, pulling and scrunching the material of his shirt to gain a better grip, and battled her way into his mouth.

John's hands held fast to her waist, one keeping a hold there as the other ventured under her shirt. Anna writhed and arched toward the questing of his hand, crying out to the open air in a frantic attempt to get close to the touch she did not fully realize she missed. He pushed up at her bra, massaging and stroking over her breasts with all the energy and finesse of an artist like he was. If she was his instrument, the way she hoped she could be for the next few minutes, then he would play her with all the skill he had.

Anna rocked her hips against him, their jeans scraping and grating, as the harsh material did nothing but drive them both wild. She let one of her legs fall and John followed her lead to risk the precious seconds it would take her to drop them. Their fingers fumbled at belts and buttons until Anna's jeans caught at her thighs. Frustration had her trying to wrench them out of the way but John just caught her shoulders and turned her around.

His hands dived under her shirt, his chest pressing into her back, and he lifted his elbows to guide her hands to hold onto the brick wall. She turned her head and John laid his lips on hers again, moving as slowly as his hands did. Anna sighed into the kiss, leaning toward it as her body curved into an S, and gasped into his mouth when she felt him shift closer.

He held there, just running himself back and forth while his hands continued their appreciation of her breasts. Anna dropped the kiss, losing herself in the riot of sensations he stoked and encouraged until she could not stop herself making noise. John's lips and fingers teased and taunted, leaving her to push back against him and try to tip forward when he continued at her breasts with one hand and drove the other to meet where his erection already suggested far better things in store.

In the barest second he pulled away and Anna almost let out a whine of frustration but when he drove into her the next moment all she could do was dig her fingers into the brick and let her head hang down. She tried to breathe as John shifted and slid, working her to the edge as slowly as he could manage. It infuriated her and only drove her toward the edge faster. His fingers slipped and glided over her nerves to play and press there. With each stroke he left a kiss or a nip or a pinch or a caress that had Anna struggling to focus.

So she gave herself over to it. Surrendered to the thunder of blood in her ears and the beat of her heart in her chest. When she toppled over the edge it was almost bittersweet. She wanted to stay at the peak forever, just on the cusp of the promise of something more, but there was nothing finer than the moment she could fall into the abyss.

The weight of John at her back told her he found it too, his shaking frame trying to right himself and not leave her to hold them both up in her own precarious position. He stood straighter, helping her stand as well, and sorted them out with a handkerchief. Anna tried to stop her snort of laughter at the sight of it but John raised his eyebrow all the same.

"I hope you're not begrudging a little gentlemanly courtesy."

"No, it's just…" Anna composed herself, "I don't think I've met a man who carries around a handkerchief."

"I thought this was the American south. The land of gentleman and manners."

"In nostalgic American movies maybe." Anna pulled her knickers and jeans into place, buttoning them as she caught sight of the damaged guitar. "I'm sorry about your guitar."

"It's…" John shrugged, "Not the first time I've done something dumb because I let my anger get the better of me where she's concerned."

Anna tried not to meet his eyes, the orange glow of the lot painting the scene again as she wished the tension between them was solved as easily as just having sex. "I… I don't know what to say for myself."

"You made an impossible choice in an impossible situation. No one could you judge you for that." John pushed another hand through his hair. "I… I'm certainly the last person to judge someone else on their actions where Vera's concerned."

"You didn't sell your soul to her."

"Didn't I?" John rubbed at his left ring finger. "We've all got our demons to defeat and our dragons to slay."

"Yes we do." Anna sighed, "And if you want to go, to avoid her and save yourself, I'd understand because-"

"What?" John cut her off, frowning. "Who said I was leaving?"

"Well…" Anna worked her jaw, swallowing. "I was thinking that you'd want to be as far away from her as possible."

"Of course I do but I'm not abandoning you to her. Or those people she'll try to suck into her schemes."

"There's no way to be rid of her."

"I do believe there's a Charlie Daniel's Band song about how to beat the Devil when he went down to Georgia."

"You realize that's a song. It's fiction."

"All fiction has a place in fact and seeing as she owns your soul," John winked at her, "I'd think you'd be a bit more open minded about it all."

"I did tell you I sold my soul." Anna admitted, "But I guess it's what you get when you decide to take up with a bar wench."

John spluttered out a laugh, "What?"

"A bar… Never mind." Anna waved him off, trying to turn serious again. "What'll you do?"

"We just have to beat her at her own game."

"And how do we do that?"

"By not letting her get what she wants. Which, for the moment," John took Anna's hands, "Is me."

"Is that a risk?"

"Not as long as I've someone like you." He brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. "I told you, in that hospital bed, I'm here for the long haul."

"As evidenced by this evening, you don't even know me Mr. Bates." Anna closed her eyes, "As much as I want you to stay here, to help me save this place I love in spite of itself, or to love you the way you deserve to be loved… I'm not that kind of person. You deserve a lady or someone with more of their soul to give."

"First, you've got your heart to give and that's enough for me. I don't need your soul just yet." John kissed her hands and Anna opened her eyes to stare at him. "Second, you are a lady. At least to me, if to no one else, and I've never met anyone finer than you."

"I think you're lying but I'll take the compliment anyway." Anna glanced back at the bar. "I should go and do my job."

"Will you stay with me tonight?" John jerked his head toward the floor above Anna. "I've had builders working up there and I want you to see it."

"Explains all the banging and rattling." Anna grinned at him, "And I'd love to see what you've done with the place."

"Thank you." He chewed at his lip and Anna frowned.

"What is it?"

"Does she really own this place?"

Anna shrugged, "Legally I do since I'm not sure the Devil or his minions can actually own titles to property. But she owns me so I'm more of her puppet than anything else."

"Not anymore. We're cutting those strings."

"I hope you're ready for those consequences." Anna went onto her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "I'll see you later."

She hurried inside, refusing to meet Gwen's satisfied smile.


	9. Whisper in a Velvet Night

Anna climbed the stairs and knocked on the door. John opened it, holding a box filled with the broken bits of his guitar and shrugged. "Thought I shouldn't leave it back behind your bar and give patrons the wrong idea."

"What'll you do without it?"

"I've got more than one."

"You're that kind of musician?"

"Most days." John grinned, jerking his head toward the interior, "Come in."

Anna fiddled with her keys, sliding into the room as John rotated around her to close the door. As she went to speak her mouth dropped open to gaze up at the area. His hand landed on her shoulder and Anna jumped, her hands flailing to try and explain herself but only spluttered a response.

"It's not that great." John ran a hand over his hair, Anna noting the red gathering on his cheeks.

"It's fantastic." Anna shoved her keys into her pocket, shuffling along the shining wooden floors to view the raised loft level standing with metal struts that wrapped the room as a balcony. "How'd you do this?"

"I consulted an architect about how to get this place to work with your bar." John pointed back to the door. "If I make this the foyer of a bed and breakfast where the breakfast is downstairs, then I use it as a bit of a meeting place. Like a community center or whatever."

"What about the rooms?"

"Most of them have been retrofitted with twin beds and three of them have queen bed but they're still under construction." John shook his head, "It's all going to work together with deals for the bar and the restaurant."

"It's…" Anna stopped, taking a turn around the space. "It's beautiful."

"It's a bit like a coffee shop isn't it?"

"It's perfect." Anna walked toward an open area. "I'll assume this is where you'll have a decent number of cushy chairs."

"Exactly." John walked over to the wall, pointing at it and then two other spots. "There'll be three fireplaces here, here, and there to give it a comfortable feel."

"Not sure you need those in a place as humid as this." Anna paced the space, smiling, "But it's all about ambiance isn't it?"

"Exactly."

Anna narrowed her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. "What is it that you did before you took on playing the guitar in trashy blues bars?"

"I used to work as an architect and interior designer." John scratched at the back of his head. "It's what drove a bit of a wedge between Vera and I."

Anna cringed, "I do hope I haven't brought up bad memories."

"It's seems we've both got some bad memories where she's concerned." John turned to another spot, a corner under the balcony before he pointed upward. "Those were part of a design I used on a building in Edinburgh."

"Why the balcony?"

"More space. It's all about including people in a public space but without forcing people into a confined area." John walked the edges of the room. "It's about making people feel like they're involved with others but still keep their independence because no one wants to be too dependent on people."

"It's true." Anna followed him, working to counter his motions to investigate the space. "You wouldn't even know it was that derelict waste just a month ago."

"Time changes a lot of things." John tucked his hands into his pocket as they met under the larger platform. "It changes people too."

"What about this?" Anna pointed above them, her head tipped back and then focused on John. "What does this do?"

"I'll show you." John took the stairs, leading her up the metal staircase to the space. "It's where the fourth fireplace will go and the coffee bar."

"Forcing people to get themselves up stairs when they're already staggering?" Anna clicked her tongue against her teeth as she paced over the platform. "I guess a bit more exercise would be a wise decision."

"It's part of keeping this space open and available." John walked to the edge of the metal railing, opening his hands to it. "It's got to stay open to keep the atmosphere free."

"Outside while inside?" Anna moved up one more stair to walk the balcony that circled the room. "Enough space for small tables and spaces?"

"Exactly." John leaned on the railing, Anna stopping to do the same across the room from him. "Think it's too much?"

"No." She ran a finger along the metal. "I'm curious how an architect and interior designer got himself a reputation as a blues singer that's famous enough that people in my bar know you."

"Did you ever watch that American show _Parks and Rec_?"

"You've got to study the indigenous culture to assimilate with it." Anna pushed herself off the railing, finishing her walk around the balcony. "Why'd you ask?"

"You remember that character, Ron Swanson?"

"He's only the second-best character on the show."

"Second-best?" John put a hand on his chest, "I'm offended on his behalf."

"I do hope this means you're not about to grow a mustache to try and bring his spirit back." Anna paused, John mimicking her movements as he came toward the stair to the balcony. "It's not worth it to risk you looking like a pedophile or a Mexican porn star."

"Two things for that." John put up his fingers. "First, I don't look the slightest bit Mexican. Second, I'm definitely not a pedophile. And Ron Swanson's not even real."

Anna grinned, stopping to use the one stair to keep them almost equal in height as they stood as close as they could be without touching one another. "I thought you only said two things."

"I couldn't tell you there was a third thing if I wanted to surprise you." His eyes stayed connected with hers, their fingers twitching to brush with one another. "It'd ruin it."

"I could see that." Anna took a deep breath, letting the time pass as they just stood there. "But that's not the surprise I liked."

"And which surprise was that?"

"This." Anna risked breaking eye contact for a moment to wave her hand at the space. "This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"It is beautiful but I'll have to disagree with you."

"Disagree about what?"

"About it being the most beautiful thing." John's fingers trapped hers, tracing over her hand and up her arm to stroke over the edge of her jaw. "You are."

"I don't deserve that."

"You do." John gripped harder, stopping her looking away as his hands cupped her cheeks. "You deserve this and whatever else I can manage to give you because everyone deserves to be loved."

"I've already wasted any chance I have at that." Anna put her hands over John's, sliding them down her cheeks. "And I wasted it on someone who doesn't love me back."

"If I thought that way then I would think that I wasted mine on Vera." John accepted her hands pushing his down but did not back away from her. "We've the capacity for great love Anna."

"Is this the royal 'we' or the two of us, specifically?" Anna's breath caught, her fingers tingling and flexing as if to grab his hands again.

"Which do you wish it was?" John waited but Anna could only shake her head. "The most basic, of all human needs, is the need to be understood and to understand. The best way to do that is to listen to them."

"That's beautiful." Anna wiped at her eyes. "Did you come up with that?"

"I wish I did, but no." John cracked a smile, his hand coming back to her cheek and this time she did not push him away. "An Indian actress said it."

"Who?"

"Aishwarya Rai Bacchan but we're losing the key point." His other hand took its former position and Anna clutched at his hands, trying to find a hint of stability. "The point is that you and I can understand one another in ways no one else can."

"How?"

"We've both made our mistakes loving people who didn't love us back. Worse, they didn't love us the way we deserve to be loved."

"Again, you're assuming love is something we deserve."

"We're not here just to shag and die, Anna." John took a deep breath, "I want to love you. To love you like you're a person and a princess and a goddess and as a human being."

"I'm none of those things."

"Then let me love your broken pieces back together until you feel like any of those things again." John's forehead rested on hers. "Please let yourself be loved by me."

"That's too hard." Anna sniffed, John's thumbs pushing away the tears making tracks on her cheeks. "It's too hard to love someone who wants to love you back because then, when you lose them, you've lost two things instead of just one."

"What?"

"If I let you love me then it'll hurt more when you're gone."

"I'm not going anywhere Anna." John forced her to look at him. "I'm not leaving you. I'm not like him."

"And this isn't because I'm afraid you are. This is because I'm afraid I am." Anna pushed his hands away a second time. "I'm hers, for the moment, and until we figure out a way to get me free I won't have the risk that she'll get you. I can't risk you. I won't risk you when want to love you so badly it hurts."

"Then trust me." John held her hands, abandoning all hope of keeping her close to him in the way he clung so desperately with the barest of touches to her fingers. "Trust that I know what I'm getting into."

"I shouldn't have even told you."

"It wasn't fair to me if you hadn't."

"It's not your burden to bear."

"And that's not your decision to make." John took a deep breath. "I deserve the facts so I can make informed decisions. I'm an adult and I deserve to be treated like one so I can make choices for myself. It's my life too Anna and this is my choice."

"To throw your life away in some shit town that serves as a backwater no one cares about with a woman who sold her soul to a servant of bloody Satan to work at a rundown bar ever on the edge of falling into the abyss? That's your choice."

"Yes!" John's shout startled Anna and he watched his teeth grit and eyes close while he steadied his breathing. "Because I don't see it the way you do."

"You don't see the despair the desperation to this?" Anna failed a hand out of his grip. "I'm being sued by the man who ruined my life, more than once, after I fought back when he tried to rape me in this very room. That's the way my life goes. That's par for the course and you're signing up for it to be your course too."

"I've never been good at golf but-"

"It's not funny John."

"And it's not your decision to make for me." John shook his head, "From the moment I met you, you've tried to bat me away, to hide me, to deter me, and yet something keeps drawing me to you. Something in you is determined to accept that you're of little worth and yet something wants me to stay here."

He managed a harsh laugh, pushing his hair back from his forehead. "I came here because something pulled me here. Something I couldn't describe if I had all the lyrics and time in the world. Something that wanted me at this bar to play those songs."

"It might've been Vera." Anna crossed her arms over her chest, a feeble defense. "She wants you and if she can't have you then no one gets you. That's what she told me."

"Sod her and sod you if you believe she's going to get in my way." John pointed at Anna. "Don't you think I know what my ex-wife feels like? I've had her claws in me, figuratively and literally, for a long time and I'm not ignorant of how she feels and what she means. I know what it is to be under her thrall and I won't let myself fall there again."

"Then what do you think drew you here?"

"Maybe the promise of something better. Something far beyond what I could imagine for myself." John would not blink or look away. "Someone like you."

"I'm no one."

"Then it's good that I'm no one either." John raised a hand but did not touch her. "You're more than you think you are. I knew that the moment I met you."

"Or I'm exactly as I appear."

"But you're not. You're just determined to think you are."

They stood in silence until Anna finally took a breath. "I don't know how to think of myself any other way. I've… I've spent so long under the weight of what I do for her, under what Alex made me feel, under what I became and now… I don't know how to crawl away from all of that."

"Then please," John extended a hand to her. "Let me help you. Let me help you see yourself the way I see you."

Anna flicked her eyes to his hand and then placed hers in his grip. He guided her off the platform and out of the space. They walked a short way down the hall and with a turn of a key in one of the bedrooms he had her inside. In the half dark, lit only with the bluish glow of the neon sign across the street to clash with the orange iridescence of the street lamps, John led her to the bed.

They stood close to it and, except for his grip on her hand, John did not touch her or guide her anywhere else. Without words, just staring at one another, he put the decision firmly in her grip. She could lead them forward or she could run. It was in her power.

Something was in her power.

With that, Anna reached up and slowly unbuttoned his shirt. He only moved when she guided him and did nothing to rush her or slow her motions. When she placed her lips on his skin or trailed her fingers delicately over muscles he stayed still. Each of her choices were her own and he remained the passive participant.

Except it was not the passivity of a mannequin being changed at a department store. Instead it was the active decision to be passive under the discovery of hands and lips and tentative emotions. The kind of passivity that had him sitting on the edge of the bed in a few moments after Anna stripped him, just waiting for her.

She took a deep breath and lifted her shirt over her head. The same shirt he dragged against a brick wall a few hours ago. Or had her popping the button on the jeans he dragged to her thighs before they had sex out in the orange light of the parking lot. The same orange light that gave them both a glow that reminded her of fake spray tans.

The grin on her face soon echoed on his, though she did not explain hers. He did not explain his either but she followed the confusion that furrowed his brow when she sank to her knees in front of him, still wearing her knickers and bra while he rose to the occasion. But whatever expression he wore, it vanished in pleasant surprise and a groan the moment Anna wrapped a hand around him.

The shivers in his body hid the nervous tremor in her hand. A tremor she fed into her motions as John's knuckled whitened in his grip on the bed sheets. Bed sheets she feared might rip when her other hand turned to holding and caressing his sack to counter her smooth, hard strokes over his thickening erection.

So she distracted him in other ways. Playing her tongue over his chest to care and lave over his nipples seemed to pull a moan from the back of his throat. When she nipped at the edge of his jaw or threatened to bite down on the column of his neck with the drag of her teeth, he let out a deep-throated growl. A growl that almost turned to a yelp if she licked at his head but only encouraged her to do it again. And then chase the other noises he let out when she dug her tongue into the slit there to try and find more of his taste.

His fingers moved from the bed when his hips bucked toward her for the first time. But Anna only hummed against his skin, continuing to lick and kiss over his arousal and abdomen while her hands never left their work. Each dig of his fingers into her hair, pulling it from the ponytail to let it whisper over them, spurred her on until she finally took him into her mouth.

Any thought of John remaining passive at that point meant he had to be a robot or made of stone. Given the rush of blood she felt under his skin, or the cling of his fingers to her head, neither of those answers was possible. Anna continued, trying to take him deeper and listening to his reactions while her own legs rubbed together to try and soothe the pulse at her core. A core she was sure might soon ruin her knickers.

But for as controlled as John was, with Anna's fingers moving over his skin, her hand still playing back and forth between his base and his sack, and her tongue helping her mouth coax every possible reaction from him, there was nothing more he could do. She held steady at the first taste of him, pulling to the edge to better manage his climax, and dug her nails into his thighs for support when his tugs at her hair and shoulders drove her internal muscles to clench. They rode through it together until there was nothing left but the quivering muscles of his body and the weakness in her own.

Anna used the nearest piece of clothing she could find, wiping him down as John grabbed at the bed to try and keep himself grounded. Her knees complained when she rose, the tingle in her lower legs and feet meaning she might want to consider a better position in the future, and the taste of him still in her mouth. She put a hand to his shoulder, to steady him or her she could not say, but it worked to push John back to the bed. In a moment she followed as one of his hands latched at her wrist to ease her down beside him.

She lay there, her legs shuddering occasionally as the blood returned to them, and let her fingers brush idly into his hair. He titled his head, kissing the inside of her wrist and then rolling onto his side to continue kissing over her arm. Anna frowned but John kept his pace slow, moving over her inch by inch until their mouths met.

His tongue darted forward, running over the line of her lips and then teasing Anna to open for him. For a moment he paused, tasting himself the way she still did, and then the breath sucked deeper into his chest. John's hand cupped her jaw to better slant his mouth over hers and gain the position he needed to ravish her with sensations between nothing more than his mouth and a stabilizing hand.

The distraction paid off as Anna gasped into the kiss, breaking it without meaning to, when his other fingers snapped the clasp on her bra. It hung loosely on her shoulders and he left it there so his fingers could come back to massage and knead and caress until Anna surrendered to the calming motions. In a moment she never thought she would reach, or enjoy if she did, sensual pleasure joined with sexual intention and her body calmed.

It was like entering another world, to feel so at peace and removed from everything that tightened her blood vessels and made her heart beat harder against them, from everything that gave her stress and heartache while being so alive and practically burning from the inside out. His kisses and touches left her tranquil and boneless while vibrating to her very core. The thump of her bra on the floor did nothing to distract her from the state of white noise that was the thrum of blood in her ears or the steady beat of her heart under John's skilled hands and mouth.

His lips mapped every part of her, learning her through as much tactile sensation as he could manage until there was nothing left of her but what he remembered. Each kiss to her breasts or the suck of her skin had her fingers itching to bury themselves in his hair but she could not even convince herself to move. There was nothing better than being under his care.

And what care it was. The gentle shift to bring her to the middle of the bed had her blinking at him. The same lazy blink he had when she finished him off. But it now seemed he gave it back to her with each kiss, as if he stole her energy and hoped to return it to her with each brush of his lips against her. His suck on her nipples coaxed noises from her throat and her instinctual reactions moved her to writhe and moan but no more than that.

Only her mind managed to escape the perfect seduction, to be free of the net of his adoration, and it abandoned whatever cognitive skills without a second thought. Instead of convincing herself to remain apart, to hide in some corner of her mind where she could watch from a distance and just submit to physical pleasure, she dived in. Instead of soulless, artless, emotionless motions given by randy men to a desperate woman, this was the deep affection of a man wanting to give her hope with every touch.

A hope she did not deserve but could no longer refuse. No more than she could refuse the kisses he left over her hips and abdomen. No more than she could fight back the waves of pleasure that only escalated and grew with each new kiss he left over her folds or the licks he made through them. No more than she could stop herself arching her back and crying out when he entered her with his fingers and drove her over the edge. No more than she could hold back the tide when he drove her to orgasm there on the borrowed bed.

In the haze of him kissing back up her body, Anna seized control of her hands enough to bring his face to hers. Then her lips to meet his. Then her legs to pull him closer as she confirmed the shadow of a thought about the state of his arousal.

It only took him a moment of pause before he submitted, sliding into her. They moved together, easily and at the pace he set, until Anna could no longer breathe. Her chest constricted, her eyes closed, and she forced herself to push past the emotions threatening to overwhelm her as she allowed him to give her everything. Everything and more.

Each of his thrusts targeted her. They were not for him to simply ease an internal ache. These were the motions of a man seeking to help her reach a high with him. As if he stood ahead and offered her a hand behind because he would not bear to leave her alone.

His kisses continued, from her lips to her jaw to her shoulders to her neck and even to her breasts, while Anna dug her fingers into his shoulders. It was like being tossed in a slow moving pool and yet the undercurrent still threatened to drag her below the surface. Part of her, the part convinced she could never deserve this if she worked a hundred years to do it, tried to fight it and escape. To twist him to climax first. But she fought it back.

Anna gave into it, gave into the sensation of John leaving his traces over every bit of her he could possibly reach, and then gave over when his fingers held her close while pushing deeply inside her. She tightened her muscles, letting primal reactions win out over old fears to leave her with nothing but the sensation of surrender. A surrender he followed her to a moment later.

Her fingers drew back and forth over his spine for a moment, tracing what she imagined where the ripples and dimples of skin and bone until John raised his head from her shoulder. He went to move but Anna tightened her knees at his hips and her arms around him. "Not yet."

"I'll crush you."

"I need it." She whispered, the darkness hiding the visible evidence of the tears leaking from her eyes. "Just for a minute."

John did not listen. Instead he turned them sideways, arms wrapping around her more securely, and holding her closer to him. Anna took her turn burying her head in his shoulder and cried. His hand now replaced what hers had done, the soothing motions rocking her to deeper sobs until she finally quieted.

He did not say a word, just continued to hold her until her arms loosened slightly. They shifted, trying to find places on the unfamiliar bed, but Anna did not move far. John remained immobile, allowing her to move around him and then reflecting her motions as she allowed.

"I'm terrified." She whispered to the silence, the rhythm of his breathing convincing her he was asleep.

"Me too." His fingers wrapped her arm when she jumped. "I'm terrified I'll let you down, or fail you, or not be enough for you."

"How can you say those things?"

"Because you never quite heal from some things. You just learn to limp onward." His fingers intertwined with hers, the light from outside the window blending to an orange-blue-grey as the artificial light dimmed in inverse proportion to the threat of the sun on the horizon. "None of us are completely whole Anna. We're all broken in our own ways."

"I don't want to be broken anymore." She raised her head, seeing enough of his face to put her hand to his cheek without stabbing him in the eye with a stray finger. "I want to be whole again."

"Then let's stitch each other back together then?" He turned to kiss her palm, smiling at her. "Will you let me help stitch you back together?"

Anna could only nod and work herself back into the comforting circle of John's arms.


	10. Move Inside

She turned, her hand hitting the empty bed next to her, and frowned at it. Pushing up on her forearm, Anna surveyed the room and caught the sheet when she shivered. With a tug, the sheet released from the bed and she padded over toward the aircon to adjust the settings. The cover stuck and she knocked it with her palm to send the flap up.

"Careful," Anna jumped, grabbing the side of the machine to keep herself on her toes as she clutched the sheet closer to herself. John came around the corner, from the bathroom with a towel over his hips, and pointed at the aircon. "It's new."

"And a bit too cold in here."

"I was hoping to keep the humidity off and keep the room cool enough for you." John pointed at the sheet. "But if you're too cold…"

"A bit, maybe." Anna kept the sheet wrapped around herself and pointed at him, "What's that all about?"

John pointed at the towel, "Shower, obviously."

"Not that." Anna licked over her lips, nodding at his waist. John managed a look down and then went to stand sideways. "No need to hide from me. I know what that means and I don't mind evidence that you like what you see."

"You don't mind?"

"Why should I?" Anna stood, holding the sheet over herself with a hand clutching it just over the dip between her breasts. "A woman likes to know that a man wants her."

The red that blushed over John's cheeks almost made Anna laugh but it died in her throat as he snapped his towel loose. It draped over the back of the chair and within a moment he was on her, hands going to either side of her as he backed Anna into the wall. His chest pressed into hers, rasping over the cotton sheet, and her back pimpled at the chill to the wallpaper.

But they stayed still, neither moving nor speaking as if that might break the spell they accidently cast between them. Anna stared into John's eyes, her fingers slowly loosening their hold on the sheet wrapping her torso, and let it inch down her shoulders. His eyes flicked downward and Anna followed the direction to see his finger scrape up the sheet to curl around the edge pulled tight between her breasts. He tightened his finger and dragged the sheet lower so expose her torso to his gaze.

Anna shivered as John lowered his head, darting his tongue out to lick over the faintest hint of a line where the sheet had been. His hands pressed into the wall to support himself as he only used his mouth on her, dragging his tongue in shapes and doodles over her until he encountered her nipples. Then he tugged and taunted, teased and tickled as Anna's hands shook holding the sheet. The second it fluttered to the floor, John suckled heartily at her and Anna buried her fingers in his hair to try and guide his direction.

Soon her fingers were there to hold herself up. John sank down onto his knees before her, licking and kissing at her skin while his hands and fingers remained stubbornly on the wall. The blatant affection he lavished on her left Anna practically clawing at his scalp and lifting her leg over his shoulder when he pressed his shoulders into the space so he could gain better access to her clit. And even without his hands, difficult as the direction and control were bound to be, John still managed to send her quivering into a climax with his tongue alternating between burying deep inside her and wrapping her clit to suck her to the point of madness.

He kissed at her scar as he retook his feet and Anna wrapped her arms over his shoulders, forcing him closer so when she jumped to wrap her legs over his hips it only took them half a step to put her back against the wall again. More importantly, as their eyes met and then their lips tried to devour the other first, it gave John the perfect angle. An angle he exploited in a moment as he pulled her legs wide and thrust as deeply as he could go.

Her eyes almost rolled back into her head as he ran over her buzzing, sensitive nerves. She dragged her nails through his hair, ruffling the water from his still-damp locks to dribble over her skin, and tried to guide him to kiss her. But John held himself still inside her and kissed over her neck.

Shifting against him, Anna gasped out when John dragged his teeth over her nipple. One of his hands on her thighs, still keeping her spread so he could grind even more deeply inside of her, flicked his fingers over her folds until she cried out. And it only came out louder when the thumb of his other hand pressed and played at her clit.

"Shit." Anna gritted her teeth and dipped her head, biting down on John's earlobe until he returned the favor with a bit to the tender skin of her chest. "Move, please."

John finally lifted his head, kissing her with a deep probe of his tongue into her mouth so she could taste herself on him, and pulled back to grind until they were as close as they could possibly be. "My pleasure."

Anna kissed him ferociously as he moved, driving into her hard enough to almost nail her to the wall. Each thud sent a dull throb of pain that only heightened the sensation of having him completely enveloped in her. Consciously clinging to him with every muscle she could manage, Anna lost herself in the thunderous frenzy he brought out in her.

She bounced and gyrate, bobbed and rocked until the tremors in John's legs matched the trembling in her own. His fingers bruised in their hold on her skin but she matched the frantic attentions with an almost claw-like rake over his shoulders. John's mouth returned to her neck and breasts, sucking there in time with the unsteady motions of his fingers at her core, until Anna's second climax rolled over her.

Her cry echoed around the room, John's swift bass notes harmonizing with hers a moment later. She kept her hold on him, easing one leg down to try and support herself back against the wall when they tried to untangle themselves, until she found her footing. Once she did, Anna eased her hold around John and let her fingers trail over him until he staggered back to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I think we could both use a shower now."

Anna snorted her laugh, "I'd rather a soak in a nice tub about now."

"Are you alright?"

"Just sore." Anna put out a hand when John tried to speak, "The good kind… From what I've heard, the best kind but I'll leave that up to someone else's consensus."

"I'd hope I'm not competing for anyone's opinion."

"Only mine." Anna reached for the sheet, wrapping it over her arm to toss onto the bed beside John. "And I'm kind of a fan."

"Only kind of?" John grinned at her but Anna only kissed his cheek and wagged her finger at him.

"Don't go fishing for compliments. Vanity suits no one." Anna sighed, rooting around for her clothes. "I'd better get going."

"Why?"

Anna stopped, her clothes all caught up in one hand. "Because I happen to actually have a tub. It's shit and might spring a leak any day now but it's a tub and-"

"This place has got a tub." John stood up, a little too quickly if the way he grabbed for the bed was any indication. "Just through here."

"But I can actually fit my body into my-" Anna stopped, the argument dying on her lips when she caught sight of the large, Jacuzzi-styled tub before her. "Never mind."

"Thought you'd appreciate it." John walked around her, holding the towel he rescued from the chair where he left it, and turned on the water. "I did this morning."

"You took a bath in here and didn't invite me?" Anna huffed, edging around him to dip her hand into the water and adjust the temperature slightly before climbing in. "Shame on you."

"I'm getting the feeling that I should agree." John's tone had her turning her head up and then lounging back as he bore no shame raking over her with his eyes. "I missed this."

"You could join me and then we'd both get to experience it." Anna scooted to the side so John could take the space across from her. "It's a big tub."

"I'm a larger guy."

"Of that I'm very aware."

John grinned at her, "You're a lot more witty today."

"I'm feeling a bit freer with myself." Anna ran a hand over his leg. "I've got you to thank for that."

"And thus the personality shift?"

"You didn't know me before I lived here." Anna leaned back, sighing as the jets bubbled to a start and beat a steady tattoo on her back. "I used to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed."

"I think I would've liked to meet that Anna." John took one of her feet, massaging it under the water as she continued to relax and let her body sag in place.

"You would've liked that Anna."

"I think I would've." John pressed at a particularly sensitive spot and Anna twitched in the water. "But I like this Anna a lot too."

"And all her accompanying baggage?" Anna snorted, leaning her arm against the side of the tub to let her head rest on it. "Sure you're ready for that?"

"I think it'll be just wonderful to help you unpack every piece of luggage you brought into my life." John paused, switching feet. "I've always found that it's easier to deal with baggage when you've got two people to do it."

Anna shrugged, "I've never had anyone to help before so it's all new to me."

"I've never had anyone's baggage I wanted to unpack before." Anna snorted, her eyes closing as John dug a knuckle into her foot before responding. "What?"

"I think you're just trying to be too kind to me."

"I like being kind."

"It wasn't an insult." Anna hissed when he hit a deep spot and opened her eyes. "Are you an acupuncturist or something?"

"Just given a few foot massages."

"Couldn't have been to Vera."

"No," John shuddered. "She wouldn't have taken something that simple."

"Then who?"

"My mother, when her arthritis advanced." John shrugged, "It's not glamorous but she needed it and it was what I could do when there was no way to take away her pain."

Anna leaned forward, catching his hand. She pulled it from the water, kissing over his fingers, and looked him in the eyes. "You are, perhaps, the sweetest person I've ever met."

"I'm not without my flaws."

'I didn't say you were perfect." Anna wagged her finger at him, sitting back. "I just said you were sweet."

"Not saccharine though, right?"

"No, just the right amount." Anna pulled her feet back, "You don't offer back massages do you?"

"Usually when there's oil, a bed, and the chance at some action." John wiggled his eyebrows and then motioned for her to move. "Face the back of the tub and hold the edge."

"You're serious?"

"I could dig my elbow into your lower back from this position, which might solve a kink or two." John swirled his finger, "Go on, turn."

Anna got on her knees and shifted slowly in the water to grab the back of the tub. John put his hands on her hips, lifting her partially out of the water so she stayed on her knees but tilted against the wall of the tub. She huffed, holding herself up on her knees and then sighed at the combine sensation of the jets thumping steadily against her abdominal muscles and John's hands starting on her lower back. Her head hung low as John ministered to the tight muscles of her back.

"May I touch your ass?" Anna blinked and turned over her shoulder to meet his eyes with raised eyebrows. "I've got to work the muscles there so they're not so tight they're pulling at her lower back and your calves."

"That's the most detailed excuse I've ever heard to touch my ass."

"But no less true." John nodded at her, "Your choice."

"Just make sure you're going to take advantage of me." Anna laughed to herself and then shifted as John's fingers dug deep. "You were serious?"

"I don't usually joke when I request to touch someone's ass." John's voice whispered near Anna's ear as he ground out clenched muscles.

"Just as long as it's this only. I'm not that kinky."

"Me neither." John pulled back a second and then started working her ass and lower back at the same time. "Tell me when you feel a bit more loose."

"There's a faster way to loosen me up." Anna laughed and then gasped out as John's elbow dug into her back. "I didn't mean that."

"I knew what you meant." His fingers eased over her back, tugging her gently back into the pulsing water to straddle him with her back to his chest. "But I did promise you a massage."

"And I'd like a different kind of massage." Anna turned over her shoulder to look at him. "If you're willing."

John shifted against her so Anna bit down at the stroke of his arousal against her ass. "Does that let you know how willing I am?"

Anna rocked against him, trading moans with him. "Then you'd better get on with it. We don't have all day."

John's fingers dragged over her hips, seating her to better straddle his legs and adjusting them to open her. Then they trailed down, opening her to sink the fingers from one hand deep inside her while the others pressed and rubbed at her clit. Every stroke stoked a fire inside her until Anna bucked her hips against him in an attempt to get him to move faster or deeper or harder. But he persisted in his gentle motions until she snatched his wrist and drove him inside her.

He obeyed her motions, allowing her to use him as her personal tool to reach that point inside of her. The point that had her nails digging into the skin of his thigh when he crooked his fingers to scrape down her internal walls in time with a teasing tug at her clit. And Anna could not find it in herself to care about the little chuckle he managed when she came around his fingers.

It took both of their breath away, however, when she shifted his hand away and sank down on him. They stayed still a moment and Anna remembered when they occupied a similar position on her bed just a month ago. When his fingers found the scar tissue on her left side, covering it front and back, she did not shy away as she had then. Instead she leaned into his hold and rocked back against him to meet the gentle thrusts he used.

Each movement matched like a harmony instead of a melody. Different paths to reach the same conclusion that had Anna twisting her hips when John thrust and bouncing up and down with her knees to counter his gyrating grinds so they both clutched at the tub or one another as they reached their peaks. Anna's fingers tangled in John's damp hair, bringing him close enough to attempt a sloppy kiss before she satisfied herself with her fingers rubbing furiously over herself.

When John's fingers joined hers, his other hand pausing from his gentle hold at her hip to hold along her jaw, he kissed her through her climax. Anna buried her cry in his mouth, tangling her tongue with his as if that could say everything her blank mind failed to even imagine. And when his fingers returned to her hip, Anna worked herself to the right angle so John bucked with a groan as he came.

They settled back into the water, jets still pummeling their skin, and interlaced their fingers together. Anna rested her head on John's shoulder a moment before pushing off him and climbing a bit unsteadily from the tub. John offered her a hand and then joined her, draining the water before grabbing a towel.

"I feel remarkably relaxed," Anna stretched and pulled as she tucked the edge of the towel around herself. "Thank you."

"It's my honor to serve."

He started to walk away but Anna caught his hand. She stared at the skin, wrinkled and puffy from the water, and ran her finger over it as she looked at him. "It means a lot to me."

"It was just a massage."

"No," Anna shook her head. "Not to me."

John stepped back toward her, the fuzz of their towels rasping against one another when he came in close. "I meant what I said, Anna. I'm here for it all."

She nodded, still holding his hand, and tucked herself close to him. "Just… Just don't think less of me for not being stronger."

"You're stronger than you think." John held her, wrapping arms around her so they tucked as tight as they possibly could together. "You're too strong to bear it alone and that says more about you than anything else."

"Me being late to work'll say a lot about me too." Anna pushed back from the embrace, kissing John's cheek. "I'd better go."

"It's just downstairs."

"But my clothes are the ones I worse yesterday and if you think no one'll notice then you've not been around enough women."

"I've been around more than enough women. They're just not usually talking about their clothes around me." John grinned as Anna pulled her damp hair up into a messy bun. "And if they are talking about clothes it's usually because they want me to take them off."

"You're incorrigible."

"I'm also insatiable but I think you like that part."

Anna looked at him through the bathroom mirror, smiling at the tent in the towel. "There's a lot there to like." He went to move closer but Anna turned and put a hand on his chest. "If you do that then I'll lose all hope for looking like I didn't get thoroughly shagged this morning."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"It is when I'm supposed to be a professional." Anna pushed John toward the room. "Now go or you'll make me late."

True to her word, Anna got herself home in time to change… although John almost made her late again when he found a way to get his fingers under her waistband. But she repaid the favor, and left him gasping on the bed, when she managed to bring him over the edge with her mouth around him. It was then, with John still heaving for breath, she kissed his mouth and dashed out.

Tying up her still wet hair- from a shower that proved far more effective in terms of getting herself clean than her morning bath- Anna nodded at the morning crew. Gwen's pursed lips and barely contained grin only got a warning scowl from Anna as she hurried back to her office. There, however, Anna's good morning mood dropped considerably.

A man waited in the chair across from her desk, wearing a tailored suit, flicked through his phone and occasionally huffed at the contents. Anna edged around her desk and then groaned when the man raised his hair and perfectly coifed hair shined in the dusky lights of her office. "Hello Thomas."

"It's Mr. Barrow, we're both professionals here."

"As professional as you were when you broke Daisy's heart?"

"Little girls shouldn't play with the men."

"Especially when those men like other men and they go out of their way to embarrass rather innocent girls with the truth?" Anna took her seat and leaned back in her chair. "I do hope Sheriff Carson doesn't know you're in town or he might find it in himself to beat your ass for what you did."

"He'll have a time of it because I'm here on legal business."

"Oh are you now?" Anna noted Thomas's reach inside his jacket and shook her head. "I do hope you're not dumb enough to be going for something you're hoping I'll take."

"Like a gun?"

"Like a subpoena." Anna snorted, "Please, tell me the actual odds you'd even know how to fire a gun."

"I served in the Army."

"You were medically discharged from the Army." Anna nodded at Thomas's hand, crossing hers over her lap. "Don't think I don't know about your little mishap on the firing range. What idiot cleans his gun when it's loaded?"

Thomas bristled, thrusting a paper toward Anna. "You have to take it."

"No, I don't, and if I don't actually receive it then I don't have to respond to it." Anna shrugged, "I'm not dumb enough to fall into that trap. I won't be served in my office."

"Then you'll not be aware that it won't be your office for much longer."

Anna narrowed her eyes, "You want to run that little details by me again?"

"This place belongs to Alex Green and he's suing you for the rights to it." Thomas put the paper between them. "And I've got more copies and more tries. Don't worry, I'm persistent and I'm not going to lose this one since it's almost half-done for me anyway."

Anna stood up, still refusing to touch the paper. "You crawl back to that little shit and tell him he can have this place, that I paid for, when he rips it from my cold, dead hands."

"I'm sure he'll get it before then." Thomas reached down, grabbing his briefcase and standing. "Or he might get it even sooner. People do have accidents sometimes."

Anna swallowed, ignoring the argument between the shot of cold down her spine and the boil in her blood. "Excuse me?"

"You do realize," Thomas shrugged, "That Mr. Green's got some friends who are less than reputable."

"And you're going to tell me that?"

"You'd be surprised the lengths people go to for their friends." Thomas smiled at her, a stretch of his mouth that made Anna want to shiver but she tramped down on the desire. "You have a good day Ms. Smith."

She waited until he left the office before hitting her chair. Using a pencil she found the edge of the pages and turned them as she forced herself to read the papers she still refused to touch. And then read them again, and again until she could almost recite the contents from memory.

Each line made her blood boil with the temerity of Green to make the accusations or demands listed in the pages. But she also wondered, at the back of her mind, how it might change if she just gave in. If she gave him the bar… and all the associated accouterments associated with ownership of it.

Her fingers traced over the desk, distracting her from other work to be done until the door opened. Anna jumped and then calmed at the sight of John in the doorway. Leaning back in her chair Anna smiled at him.

"Something I can help you with Mr. Bates?"

"A great many things I'm sure." He nodded toward the bar. "You've dodged all my calls and texts so I decided to come and check on you."

"You called?" Anna whipped out her phone and groaned, holding it for John to see. "Dead. I forgot to charge it last night and earlier."

"Likely story."

Anna scowled at him, tucking her phone away. "You're the reason it's drained you know."

"Oh I know." John eased into the room, closing the door behind him. "But I was curious if this was like the last time you barricaded yourself in here to avoid me."

"What?"

"When you avoided me because you were afraid that I'd find out about your deal with the devil."

"Hardly." Anna snorted, sitting straighter. "Especially considering that was yesterday and you found out anyway."

"It was meant to be."

"Or you're just suffering the misfortune of knowing me."

John shook his head, "That's the farthest from the truth as you could be."

"Then know it's a similar statement about me dodging your calls. I'm not in that kind of mood."

"Then what…" John's eyes fell on the papers on her desk and he nodded. "So some skeezy solicitor visited you as well."

"Yes he…" Anna narrowed her eyes, "Why'd you just say 'as well' as if you…"

John pulled papers from his back pocket. "I'm being sued for my property and damages I incurred on one Alex Green's face. Personally I thought it was an improvement but I guess that's up for debate."

Anna shrugged, waving her hand at the papers. "I'm sure the details of yours are just as daring as mine."

"And how many times have you read yours if you've been in here since this morning?" John counted on his fingers, "Ten, maybe?"

"It's not been ten." Anna tried to look offended, pushing herself from her chair and grimacing as it pulled at muscles that stiffened and her tingling legs. "It's been considerably more times than that."

"Why?"

"I don't want to be caught off guard."

John gave his own snort this time. "I'm pretty sure the whole point of the activity was to catch you off guard."

"Then he's done a fine job of it." Anna pulled her hair from its tie, running her fingers through it. "Although…"

"Although what?" John took the seat opposite her, jabbing at the forms. "You can't be seriously considering this."

"What if giving him the bar gave him the debt?" Anna shrugged, "Let him sell his soul to Vera and I could leave it all behind."

"Do you really think you could do that?"

Anna sighed, draping her arms over her desk and dropping her chin to rest on them. "No. But I'd like to just leave it all to him. He can take back the debt on it, the cost of running it, the stress of it all, and even sell his soul to keep it going. It'd be fantastic."

"Except something tells me that Vera wouldn't work like that." John shifted in his chair, "Call it experience from having spent more time with her than I'd like to remember, but I know she wouldn't let go of what she's got if she can keep a hold on you. Her claws sink deep and they're not easily removed."

"Then I guess it's first to the finish." Anna stood up and almost did not comprehend how quickly John crowded her, blocking her exit from behind the desk. "Yes?"

"You did just say first to the finish." John grinned at her, dropping it in favor of a study of her skin as he stroked a finger along her neck toward her collarbone. "I thought it was an invitation."

"You really are incorrigible." Anna laughed, slipping from John's grasp. "And insatiable."

"Do you disapprove?"

"Not at all but I've got a bar to clean. I'm sure they've managed to get everything from-" Anna checked her phone and the clock on the wall, "Lunch all handled but Gwen's off now and I need to make sure I'm ready for dinner and drinking later."

"Then I'll keep you company."

"I'm sure you've got ulterior motives but I won't say no to a bit of light serenading if you're up for it." Anna led the way into the bar, nodding at the last efforts of the bussers before they both disappeared through the doors she left swinging. "They do a good job."

"I'm sure Ms. Dawson's got a whip cracking for them." John dragged a finger along the bar, nearing Anna as she checked something in the sink. "Like the one I'd give to you."

"So I could crack one for you?" Anna eyed him up and down before jumping to sit on the bar. "Not sure you could handle me in thigh-high boots with heels and a bustier."

"I only said the whip." John put his hands on either side of her but Anna pulled her legs up and rotated on her ass to hop off the other side. "Tease."

"You're undressing me for a performance." Anna walked around the space, wiping down a few tables before throwing the rag back at John. "If I'm going to dominate you I've got to look the part."

"So you'd be up for that?"

Anna laughed, hopping back over the bar and taking the rag from him to add to the dirty bin. "I've had a few kinkier dates."

"But this morning you-"

"Kinky in style, not in execution." Anna shuddered, "There are some bridges that are still too far for me."

"Me too." John eased behind her, fingers trailing up her sides. "But I've got one to suggest to you."

Anna shivered as his voice whispered near her ear. "And what's that?"

"Right here, right now?"

"My employees are just through that door."

"Then we'll have to be fast." John kissed her neck, fingers trailing under the waistband of her jeans to tease the edge of her knickers. "You up for it?"

Anna hurried a look over her shoulder toward the doors and then wedged her ass into John's hips. "You'll have to be quick."

"One of the only times that'll be a good thing."

But John only managed to unsnap her jeans and get both of his hands inside the fabric as the front doors opened. Anna froze, her hand clutching the counter in front of her as Sheriff Carson walked toward them. He nodded at John and then addressed Anna at the same time John worked a hand under the line of her knickers to glide along her folds.

"It's good to see you up and about Ms. Smith."

"Is it?" Anna strangled the sound in her throat, fingers whitening on the counter when she clung to it harder as John's other hand pressed his palm against her clit. "And why's that?"

"Ms. Dawson was saying you had an unpleasant visitor earlier."

"I… I did." Anna nodded, a bit more ferociously than she needed to as John's fingers continued to press against her and massage her sensitive skin. "But I guess, in light of recent events it shouldn't-"

She choked, coughing to cover the reaction to John's fingers entering her and his thumb exploring her nerves to let her body temperature rise. Sheriff Carson leaned forward, putting a hand on hers where it rested on the bar. "Are you alright Anna?"

"I'm… I'm fine." Anna cleared her throat, grinding on John's fingers as she shifted forward. "I just wasn't expecting a visit from Mr. Barrow."

"I do hope you warned him to stay out of my way."

"He was here on business for the court and…" Anna gritted her teeth when John added another finger, crooked them inside her to find the sweet spot. "And he kept himself civil enough."

"I'd still like to have a reason to toss him in a cell. Or, better yet, to justify a charge of police brutality."

"I'm sure William giving him a shiner was enough brutality from our Sheriff's department." Anna cleared her throat as John paused, holding her at the edge. "But I'll let you know if anything changes."

"It's a raw business." Sheriff Carson nodded at John, "I do hope you're here to help, Mr. Bates."

"As much as I can." John twiddled his fingers and Anna almost bit through her lip as she came. "I'm here for whatever Ms. Smith might need."

"Good." Sheriff Carson nodded at them and headed for the door. "I'm here, if you need me."

"Thank you." Anna finally managed, her voice bound to give her away.

But Sheriff Carson left all the same and Anna practically tore her jeans away from herself as she tugged them down her legs. John's belt clinked and he put his hands on her hips to enter her a moment later. Anna groaned into him, grinding back as far as she could go to take John in a single stroke. He moaned and she gave a half-laugh.

"That's what you get, greedy bastard, for making me orgasm in front of Sheriff Carson. He would've died if he knew what we were doing."

"Then it's good he didn't know." John drove into her again, leaving Anna on her toes. "And I needed to make sure you were being seen to. I did promise."

"Now you're just justifying bad behavior."

"It benefits you." John kissed near her ear, working his hips like a piston so they slapped against her ass.

"And you."

"The best sex is a two-way street."

"Shut up and hurry." Anna bent over a bit more, letting John attack her neck and shoulders as his hands held her hips steady to meet the shunt of his body. "We've not got time for this."

"We'll make time."

"Then it's not…" Anna bit her lip, clawing at the counter as John played with her clit again. "It's not the place."

"So many health code violations." John sped up, the frenzy of his pace leaving Anna's legs shaking at the depth and strike of him inside her. "Whatever will you do?"

"Wash with bleach." Anna grabbed his wrist, moving him faster against her until she climaxed again.

John followed her soon after, the final frantic stutters of his body leaving her with the now-familiar ache inside her. He drew back slowly, careful of their mutual sensitivity, and grabbed two rags to wipe them off. But when he went to toss them into the pile Anna stopped him.

"I don't think so."

"It's the dirty pile."

"We're not making some poor busser wash these." Anna buttoned her jeans and helped John do up his belt. "Just tuck them in a corner of my office and I'll wash them at mine."

"That seems cruel, leaving you with clean up."

"You don't have a machine yet, do you?" John shook his head and Anna snatched the rags from him. "Then I've got them this time."

"I'll owe you."

"Just pay me back somewhere a bit less public next time." Anna twitched as someone came through the swinging doors and pushed John away. "Now go on. I've got things to do and I'm betting you do too."

"Not as important as you."

Anna grinned, kissing him quickly. "Just get on with yourself. We've both got jobs to do."

"Only because you insist." John saluted. "I'll see you tonight Ms. Smith."


	11. Sleep in the Kill Room

Anna pulled her collar straight, folding it over to line up with her jacket. Gwen poked her head in as Anna adjusted to see herself better in the tiny, cracked mirror on the wall. "I thought you got dressed at home."

"I did." Anna rolled the cuffs of her shirt up, tucking them over the three-quarter sleeves of the jacket. "But I'm nervous and this was something I could do."

"I still think you should've let Jay help."

"He did enough just looking over all the documents for me."

"I could drive you to the courthouse."

"John's got to go too so he's taking me." Anna paused, checking over her things again. "You're sure you're alright with-"

"This is part of my duties as assistant manager." Gwen frowned a moment, "I think. There was never an official contract so I'm assuming-"

"Alright, cheeky." Anna clutched her keys in her hand and used them to point at Gwen. "Try not to burn anything down while I'm gone yeah?"

"You really think I'll burn down my inheritance?"

Anna raised a finger, squinting at Gwen a moment and then shook her head. "Forget it. There are too many layers there for me to dissect right now and I'm not going to try it."

"Don't." Gwen took Anna's seat behind the desk and set her feet on the edge of it while waving at Anna. "Can't miss you if you're not gone."

"You're the worst."

"Have fun." Gwen called as Anna shut the door and exited the bar out the back door.

She pulled her hair up off her neck as the steady thrum of the cicadas gave the late morning a buzz to accompany the humidity. It stuck loose strands of her hair to her neck and let beads of sweat roll down her neck onto the collar of her shirt. Tugging at it did nothing but exasperate her groan as the shirt dragged through the hint of sweat that only gathered with the settling heat.

"Care to step into the airconditioned car?" Anna turned to see John pointing to his car in the corner of the lot, stepping off the metal stairs that wrapped the back of the building for easy access to the upper floors. "It'll be a sweet relief."

"That it will since I'm sweating like a sinner in church." Anna slid the strap of her bag over her shoulder to stop it slipping off the material of her jacket. "You look rather dashing."

"One should never look anything less than their best when appearing before a judge."

"Is that what your mother told you when you got married?" Anna ducked into the car and waited for John to join her after he shut the door. "Because I can't see you running into too much trouble in terms of the law as a kid."

"I play the blues, Anna. I got myself into more than my share of trouble." John pulled out of the lot and bumped onto the road as the steep angle of the entrance knocked them against the asphalt. "I think we should fix that."

"Speaking as a couple?"

"Is that what we are?"

Anna pursed her lips and shrugged, distracting herself by turning up the vents and the air-conditioning in the car. "I don't know."

"You don't?"

Anna put a hand over his on the steering wheel. "It's not because I don't like you. A great deal, as it happens, but because I don't know what it all means."

"I stayed over at yours last night."

"And I stayed at yours the night before that." Anna held the fingers of her other hand a millimeter apart. "And I'm this close to offering you a drawer in my lopsided chest of drawers but I don't know if I should."

"Why not?"

"What if it proves too good to be true? What if I was wrong?"

"Do you think you were?"

Anna drew back, shaking her head. "No. I just don't know if I'm worth the attention and the affection."

"Even after-"

"It's not about me not believing you." Anna hurried to silence him, putting a hand on his cheek to turn him back to the road. "It's about believing in myself and given what I've done, and who I've been with, and what's happened to me… That's not so easily fixed."

"Do you want it fixed?"

"I'm here in the car with you aren't I?" Anna laughed as John managed a reluctant nod. "I want whatever this is to continue. And I don't know the label you'd put on that or what you'd call it or even if it has a name. All I know is that I like being with you and I want to find a way to be with you forever. I don't want to give any of that away and that means that I've got to ease into it."

"So…?" John frowned, focusing on the four-way stop. "You don't want us to be an 'us'?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then what exactly are you saying?" John flailed a bit, hitting the gas hard enough to jerk their car forward when the one behind them honked at John's failure to immediately obey a green light. "Because I'm really confused."

"I'm saying that I want there to be an 'us'… I just don't know if that's right now."

"But it could be in the future?"

"Most definitely." Anna jerked a thumb behind her. "And we should fix that."

They managed another minute before John spoke again. "If we're not an 'us' then does that mean we're not exclusive?"

"Oh we're exclusive." Anna stretched back in her seat, smiling, "Why would I need anyone else when you make me this sore?"

She had to bite her lip to stop herself laughing out loud at the white of John's knuckles on the steering wheel.

They arrived at the courthouse, pulling into one of the parking places located as inconveniently as possible, and prepared themselves for the muggy walk to the door. The combination of heat so wet it was practically a sauna and an unforgiving sun left them both pulling at their collars when they entered the airconditioned building. It hit them hard, sending a shiver through Anna, but worked to cool the sweat lines so the beads still dotting her forehead in an unattractive ring might vanish back into her hairline. She bent, removing her jacket and purse before stepping through the metal detector, and checked herself in the reflection off the register's window.

"Not quite the hot mess I thought." Anna took her jacket and purse back from the man who nodded at her, the belt and uniform rustling enough to show off the tazer easily accessible. "But still not the grand entrance I hoped."

"If they didn't put the parking so bloody far away we wouldn't have to worry about it." John dug a slip of paper from his pocket, unfolding it along lines creased deeply enough it wore almost to the point of tearing. "We're just up that way."

"Nervous?" Anna folded her jacket over her arms as their pace helped air her shirt out a bit so it did not stick to her back.

"What gives you that idea?" Anna pointed to the paper and John shrugged, tucking it away, before responding. "I've been to court before. This, as they say, isn't my first rodeo."

"First time up on criminal charges I'll bet." Anna noted the door and took a seat outside it.

John joined her, trying to stretch in the seat made of plasticized-wood, coarse material made for a hundred asses, and almost immovable from its position in the equally dated hallway. "You've got me there."

"Was the last time your divorce?"

"Yeah." John whistled, "There were parts of that I almost wished had been criminal. Would've ended the whole charade so much faster."

Anna clacked her teeth together quietly, brushing them together so they barely made a noise but sent tiny vibrations up her jaw. "How'd she…"

"End up in her current occupation?" John shuddered, "Who knows. You joke about your exes being the Devil or crazy but then you never expect to find them both mad and working for the Devil."

"Not what you had in mind when you left her to her own?"

"I didn't really think of her really." John's fingers interlaced between his legs as his arms rested on his thighs to leave small, damp lines on his trousers. "Maybe I should've but once we were over it was over for me. All those years were nothing but lost."

"It couldn't have been all bad."

John snorted his laugh, "It depends on how you define bad."

"How are you defining it in this case?"

"At the beginning we'd have fun getting drunk together, we'd hit all the best pubs, and then we'd take time just being young." John leaned his head back against the wall with the look in his eye as if he watched his younger self in a far distant place almost lost to the tides of time and memory. "There was a lot of passion, a lot of fire, and a lot of sex."

"That part I can understand." Anna matched his pose and gave a snort of her own. "It was the same with Alex at the beginning. It was us against the world and we were living in these horrible little flats where we'd have to huddle together to warmth and scrape together pennies and nickels to make the bills but we were young and immortal."

"All those things we did because we were young and foolish." John narrowed his eyes at the far wall. "All those things that made us who we are but we regret."

"Those roadblocks we wished we drove around instead of ploughed through." Anna sighed, "It would mean we wouldn't be here facing the possibility of criminal prosecution."

"It may be selfish," John turned to her, his hair sliding over the fake wooden paneling of the wall. "But I'm glad you're with me. I don't know if I could've done this alone."

"Really?" John nodded and Anna put her hand over his. "And why's that?"

"Because I don't know if I could keep my composure looking across the room at that smug bastard if I didn't have you to impress." Anna barked out her laugh, clapping a hand over her mouth to try and muffle the sounds. John hurried to look around, getting the glares of the others waiting in the corridor. "It's not funny."

"It's not that." Anna wiped carefully at her eyes, trying to breathe and not break into another round of giggles. "It's that you think you still have to impress me."

"Don't I?"

"You broke your guitar in front of me." Anna shook her head as her thumb rubbed along his knuckles. "And you've… You've been the best of men to me."

"You can't mean that."

"We're both about to face my ex-boyfriend in court. I'm sure you can see how low my standards were in the past."

"One douchenozzle doesn't a judgement make."

"But it does tell me that you're a special person." Anna met his eyes. "You're one of the best people I've met in my entire life."

"You could still try to go to bed at night dreaming of a better man than me."

"And what? He'd just stroll through the door?" John shrugged but Anna shook her head hard enough to dislodge a few strands previously stuck to her neck. "I couldn't because there aren't any."

They sat in silence until the door opened. Anna hurried up, catching her purse when it almost dropped to the floor, and straightened to see Sheriff Carson. He nodded at the two of them and held the door open so they could enter. With a swallow, Anna took the invitation.

It was smaller than she imagined. Too many court scenes on television told her to expect a grandiose room with marble floors and wooden gates swinging to hold back the masses from the podium where the judge held sway. But the carpet older than her lined the room from the door to the little box where the judge would sit. A tiny partition held the witness box to the side and the other held veritable towers of paper and stenographic notes from the court recorder who would sit there. Small tables, like the kind that might populate conference rooms in business in the eighties positioned at angles from the judge's podium and two benches on either side was all that remained for the audience.

She shrugged and John and walked toward the table Sheriff Carson indicated. They took their seats, almost the exact same as those they just recently vacated if not for the slight indentations from a few more asses, and Anna put her hands on the table. Then she removed them to her lap. When she went for another round of the same fidgeting indecision, John put his hand over hers and held them on the table. His hand squeezed hers a moment and then relaxed as if to withdraw. Anna interlaced their fingers to keep him in place and finally managed a small smile.

The silence of the room, broken only by the occasional judder of the air-conditioning unit above their heads, raised all the hairs on her arm. So much so that when the door finally opened she jumped in her seat and jerked John's hands and hers off the table. Both heads turned, swiveling in seats as immobile as granite, and frowned in confusion as a dark-haired woman entered the room.

Without a word to either of them, she set herself at the end of their table and put her briefcase on her lap to dig through it. Papers hit the table, thumping enough to send another jolt through Anna that only calmed when John fully encapsulated her hands with his. They both leaned around to get a better view of the woman and Anna's eyes could not have widened more than they did at that moment.

"Mary?"

"Who else do you think would come to bat for you?" Mary snorted, sorting through her papers and floating two sheets down the table, held to the surface by the thick pens tucked over the edges. "And when I say 'bat' I do mean in the cricket term since this is a particularly sticky wicket you've found for yourselves."

"In baseball we'd just say that we've got two strikes against us." Anna mumbled as she read over the sheet. "A quid?"

Mary closed her eyes, heaving an exasperated sigh. "Please tell me you've not been away from the homeland so long you forgot what the Queen's currency is. The strongest bill on the face of the planet? The money by which all life should be governed? The best form of-"

"We get it." John cut her off, risking loosening one hand from Anna to hold over the sheet he then pressed towards as if pumping air into the sheet with his out-stretched fingers. "What is this?"

"It's a contract, Mr. Bates, what did you think it was?" Mary narrowed her eyes at him. "You can read, yes?"

"I'm very good at it."

"Then use those skills to read and sign at the bottom if you agree to accept my services."

"For a quid, by the way." Anna tapped the paper with her pen. "You're only charging us a quid each for your services."

"It's the lowest amount of legal tender needed for official transactions." Mary put both of her hands on the table and turned to them. "I will say this, you're both rather slow on the uptake with this. Must be the heat, it gets into everything and gums it up so it all runs slower. It's awful, I know that much, and I don't know how you stand it."

"What are you even doing here Mary?" Anna let the pen drop on the paper, without signing it. "I haven't seen you since I came here and we haven't spoken in years."

"So how did I know you needed my help?" Mary shrugged up a shoulder, a self-satisfied smirk taking over her face. "Because I still keep in touch with Gwen. She told me you'd think I'd look down on you owning a bar."

"That's not what I said."

"Well I don't, in case that was a worry." Mary laughed a little, "I think it's great. All those peanuts and the best stories from the drunkest people. How could it get better than that? Like being a therapist without all the school."

"I know you'd disapprove of Alex."

"Oh he's a human garbage can and I do judge you for that." Mary pointed to the paper. "Are you going to sign that or not?"

"You don't know anything about the case."

"You'd be surprised what you can get from a case when you leave the papers on your desk and someone photocopies them to scan so I can read them all." Mary flapped her hand against the stack of papers in front of her. "Gwen's fiancé… or boyfriend… or whatever that mustachioed man is to her is a gem to me."

"Jay got you all this?"

"Jay and Gwen." Mary extended her hand to John. "Will you be signing today or are you still full of questions like she is? Keep in mind, we've not got much time."

"I'll take whatever help I can get." John shook her hand and then signed the form. "Last time I was in a situation like this I was lucky to keep my shirt."

"We were all lucky, I assure you." Mary adjusted to see Anna. "Will you be accepting my services today or should I only represent Mr. Bates here?"

Anna worried the inside of her cheek before signing her name to the bottom of the form and passing it back toward Mary. "What's the plan?"

"That you trust in the money my father spent on school and the money I make now that pays for my son's private school to do their best." Mary paused, "Who's the other lawyer? Do I know him?"

"I don't know." Anna frowned, "Can you even practice in America? Your degree and certifications were in the UK."

"I'm qualified for international practice." Mary rolled her shoulders back as the door opened. "And I'll take that quid in the form of dinner if we win."

"And if we don't?"

"Petrol money?"

"All rise." The three of them stood as the judge entered the room. He managed his robe and worked around into the podium while a court stenographer took her place in her podium. After a sweep of the room the bailiff spoke again. "Presenting the Honorable Hugh Flintshire."

"Please be seated." He knocked the gavel lightly against the podium. "Bailiff, please read the docket for today."

"The case of one Alex Green against one Anna Smith and one John Bates on charges of aggravated assault and battery as well as unlawful seizure of property and squatting."

"He didn't go small did he." Mary muttered to herself, taking noted on a pad with her eyes occasionally flicking toward the bailiff before sorting through her papers. "They never do."

"Will the prosecutor introduce their client?" Judge Flintshire frowned and looked up. "Where is the prosecution?"

"Here, your honor." The door opened and Thomas Barrow entered, helping a limping Green through the door. "We've had some difficulties given the breadth of Mr. Green's condition."

"Something you should've taken into account so you could arrive on time." Judge Flintshire turned back to his notes. "And these injuries, are they those drawn up in the further actions you sent yesterday?"

"Yes your honor." Barrow shot a look in Anna's direction. "It would appear that Ms. Smith and Mr. Bates did not take too kindly to the charges leveled against them."

"Objection on grounds of speculation." Mary argued from her seat, waving a hand at Barrow. "We've yet to prove there was even a first altercation."

"Noted and sustained." Judge Flintshire leveled his gaze at Barrow. "Please keep your arguments to when we're actually allowing them Mr. Barrow."

"Of course, your honor." He took a seat, winking at Mary. She made a face and grimaced.

"Eugh, disgusting."

"You're not his type." Anna whispered, "By at least one chromosome."

"And I'm sure more than a few body parts." Mary addressed the judge. "Your honor, we'd like to begin, if that's alright."

"Grand idea." Judge Flintshire took a deep breath. "Let's begin."


	12. Cold Black Heart

By the end of the afternoon Anna had pulled her hair from her ponytail and clawed it almost to strands. John's jacket hung from the back of his chair and his sleeves rolled past his elbows. But that change was not as dramatic as his hair, which now stuck straight up as each sweep of his hand had sent the follicles steadily higher. Between the two of them, shifting every few moments or bouncing their legs under the table, Mary finally stood up.

"Your Honor, after all the testimony we've heard from Mr. Green, I'm inclined to believe it's all bullshit."

"Excuse me Counselor?" Judge Flintshire removed his glasses and Barrow was so confounded he could not even manage an argument. Green still had his mouth open from his place on the stand.

"Think about it." Mary came around the table, pointing to Green. "I'm sure he could regale us to tomorrow afternoon with the details of his harrowing escape from the monster John Bates and the seductress Anna Smith but are we here for a dramatic retelling or are we here for the facts?"

"The facts, I would hope." Judge Flintshire shot a look at Barrow, who managed a little shiver. "I'm sure you've got a few facts you wish to share with us, Ms. Crawley."

"I do." She turned, grabbing a folder from the table, and flipped to a page. "Did you know, Your Honor, that Mr. Green here was filed as the co-owner on the bar where Ms. Smith currently works but that he ran out on his debt and payments with one, Edna Braithwaite, no less than sixteen months ago?"

"Your Honor, this has nothing to do with my client being accosted on his property." Barrow tried to argue but Mary only smiled at him.

"Then your client wasn't aware that he was trespassing on private property that day?" Mary removed a sheet of paper from the folder to hand to Judge Flintshire. "Mr. Bates purchased the property the day before and Mr. Green stepping foot there without an invitation was trespassing."

"Even if that were the case, the beating he received-"

"Could be comparable the beating he gave Ms. Smith on the same day," Mary showed the folder to Barrow and Anna caught a glimpse of the photographs they took at the hospital. "They're not the first of their kind. Three years previous to this incident, Ms. Smith and Mr. Green were living together in Atlanta when he used her as a body shield against some of his more… disreputable friends."

"Mr. Green's associations are-"

"Not the question and none of my concern." Mary turn to Judge Flintshire, "But it speaks to his habits, Your Honor. Mr. Green is not the kind of man to tell the truth and I'd hazard if we could ascertain his position last night we'd find some footage from someone's camera of his ass being kicked to the pavement because he happened to piss off the wrong people. Perhaps the very same people who tried to shoot him the first time and hit Ms. Smith instead."

Anna flinched and her fingers clenched on top of the table in front of her. John's hand covered hers, making no move but to cover her fingers and she relaxed a fraction at his hold. Their eyes met and he nodded at her.

"It'll be alright."

Anna took a deep breath and turned back to where Mary showed something else to Judge Flintshire. "These payments show that the bar was never Mr. Green's property since it was purchased in Ms. Smith's name, the space above it did not belong to him, and whatever beating he received a few weeks ago was in direct proportion to what he gave Ms. Smith."

"That only makes Mr. Bates a vigilante."

"No, it makes him a defender of a woman in need and his property." Mary pointed at Green, silent in his booth. "Your client is a liar and instigator in this."

"Objection!"

"Overruled." Judge Flintshire passed the papers back to Mary. "Mr. Barrow, as inclined as I am to believe that slick suit you're wearing was purchased with honest funds I do know the kind of men you represent and I'll be surprised if you're not before me before the end of next week with one of them."

"Your Honor-"

"As such I'm inclined to believe the weight of evidence against Mr. Green and therefore dismiss this case. There will be no actions and I warn Mr. Green to get out of town as quickly as possible."

Barrow blinked, "Your Honor?"

"He's still got an outstanding warrant for possession of narcotics with intent to sell." Judge Flintshire turned to Green. "Do you have anything to add to those allegations?"

Green shook his head and Judge Flintshire nodded. "Then please hand yourself over to Sheriff Carson at the door and leave these people to their lives. They don't need you bothering them any longer."

His gavel cracked on the wood and Anna shuddered out a breath. Tears dotted her eyes and she let her head fall on her arms as her whole body shook. John's hand landed on her back and rubbed over her until she finally rose. Her fingers trembled as they wiped away tears and she turned to John.

"It's over?"

"It's over." John assured her, extending a hand to Mary. "Thank you, Ms. Crawley. I don't think I've seen something that incredible in quite some time."

"You're flattering me but I'll take it." Mary gathered her things, sorting them back into her briefcase. "My husband's better at this than me but he helped me practice last night."

"I can't imagine anyone being better than that was."

"Then you, Mr. Bates, should expand your imagination." She snapped her briefcase closed. "My father loves your music by the way. I think he owns all of your albums."

"That's flattering."

"Which leads me to beg this question," Mary leaned over the table, "What in the name of all that makes sense, is someone of your talent doing in this shithole?"

"Hey," Anna stood up, gathering her things and forcing her hair back up into a ponytail. "I take umbrage at that."

"As you should." Mary turned back to John, "What are you doing here?"

"It's where I landed."

"Did whatever spaceship that crashed you here also affect your brain?"

John shrugged, sneaking a look at Anna as his fingers locked momentarily with hers. "Sometimes you just find a place you need to be."

"That I'll never understand." Mary checked her phone, "I've got to make a quick call and then you can pay me my fee with food at your rather rickety establishment."

"You make it sound like a stiff breeze'll blow it over."

"How should I know, you've never invited me to see it." Mary pressed her phone and put it to her ear, walking out of the room.

Anna turned back to John to say something before a hand touched her arm. She jumped and John's grip tugged her away from the hand of Green as it came across the table. In a moment she was half-behind John and staring at a rather desperate looking Green.

"Don't do that." He pled with John and then tried to see Anna around John's mass. "I told you, when I first showed up, that I needed your help."

"And I told you to get stuffed." Anna put a hand on John's arm, coming out from behind him. "You're nothing to me and you've already proved I'm nothing to you so there's nothing more for us to say."

"They're after me." Green hissed, waving away Barrow as the other man called to him from the door. "They'll come for the money I owe them."

"Then I guess you should've considered being a bit more industrious when you ran off with Edna." Anna snorted, "But I've got a feeling you were about as lazy as useless with her as you were with me. It's what happens when you're a bottom feeder."

"Just lend me the money and I'll-"

"No." Anna shoved the chair hard enough into the table to send Green jumping back a step. "You're nothing to me and you'd better stay away."

"Or what?"

"You never know but I really wouldn't care for you to find out." Anna interlaced her fingers with John's. "Let's go."

They left, passing Mary still on the phone in the corridor, and went outside. Even with the hum of heat and the haze of humidity, Anna closed her eyes to bask in the sensation. Her fingers, still interlocked with John's, tightened to bring him closer to her.

"I don't know if there's any way to tell you but," Anna turned to him, "Thank you."

"You never have to thank me."

"But I do." Anna brought their intertwined hands up and then dropped them to hang easily between them. "You've been very patient with me and endured more than… anyone I know has ever borne for me and without much promise of repayment."

"I'm not sure that all the sex we've had couldn't be considered payment." John took a step back when Anna faked a threatening move toward him. "But I think I understand what you're saying."

"Think?"

"It's difficult to understand how a woman as amazing as you…"

John faltered and Anna frowned, "What?"

"It's…" John frowned, shaking his head. "It's not something you put into words. As much as I love reading, making music, or using words to convey what I feel they're failing me. They always do around you. Because I've realized there's nothing I can say to tell you how I feel. There aren't words good enough or just… enough in the English language to help you understand."

"Understand what?"

"That I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you." John smiled, pulling their hands up to kiss her knuckles. "And it doesn't make sense, there are studies upon studies out there telling everyone and their grandmother that it's impossible, there are all the reasons to say it was hormones or whatever you want but I can't deny what I know is true."

"And that is?"

"That I love you, Anna Smith. Wholly, completely, and without reservation. And that I'd love you however, wherever, whatever." John sighed, letting their hands drop again. "So of course I'd stand by you through that, against him, against Vera, against anyone."

"That's a little serious."

"It'd be more serous if I quoted Sir Malcolm Murray and said I'd murder the world for you." John lowered his voice, "But I would. Any privation would be worth bearing, any cross worth carrying, any possible suffering would be nothing if it meant you might, in some small way, understand the depth of affection I have for you."

They stood in silence, the buzz of the cicadas the only sound over the distant thrum of traffic on the nearest road. Anna let her thumb rub over their joined fingers and finally raised her head to look at his face. Her hand cupped his cheek, resting only long enough to feel him before the stick of sweat could make it uncomfortable.

"And you said words were failing you."

"They're not enough."

"They are for me." Anna tried to work a smile over her face. "I know I've not made it easy for you. That I've doubted your motivations, your desires, and your words. But… It's not because I don't believe you're sincere."

She managed a deep breath, closing her eyes to force the words out. "It's because I'm as much afraid they're true as I am that they're not." Cracking her eyes open, Anna cringed at the confusion furrowing lines deep into John's forehead. "Do you… understand what I mean?"

"You're afraid that you don't deserve it almost as much as you're afraid that you finally found someone who believes they deserve you."

Anna nodded, "I've got someone else who owns my soul so I can't give it freely. Even if I wanted you to have it, and I do with all the fibers of my being, I can't give it to you."

"Why not?"

"Because it means I'd put you in her line of sight. You'd be in danger and I couldn't live with myself if I let anything happen to you."

"Isn't that my decision to make?"

"What if the decision isn't either of ours?" Anna shrugged up a shoulder. "What if I'm a pawn in her game to get you?"

"That's probably true."

"Then why take the risk?"

"Because those who risk, win." John pointed toward the car. "Do you mind if we continued this conversation with the aircon?"

"John," Anna tugged his hand back. "I'm serious. I couldn't live with myself if she got to you. I couldn't… I couldn't live if I can't have you now that you're here."

"What?"

"I was fine before when it was me and a failing bar. When it was me alone, battling it out with my tiny rebellions against her. But now that you're in the picture…"

"The stakes are higher?"

Anna nodded, "It's not just my soul she could own John. She could steal my heart too and I don't want to lose that."

"Then lucky for you." John kissed her knuckles, "She's not getting me. Not again and especially not that I've got you."

"You're sure?"

"Of the only two things that matter."

"And what are those?"

"That I love you and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we stay together." John leaned toward her ear to whisper, "We can beat her."

"I don't think we can." Anna shook her head, "My faith's not strong enough for that."

"Then lean on mine until yours is." John raised his head. "Here comes Ms. Crawley."

"I think it's technically 'Missus'." Anna got into the car as John opened the door for her and scooted to the front of the seat so her shirt would not stick to the back in the stuffy interior of the car.

"I'll ask her the specifics when we get to your bar."

John drove them back, leading Mary to the parking spaces behind the building, and helped Anna back out of the car before waving toward the building. "This is it."

"You're right, a stiff wind's not blowing this over." Mary put her hand over her eyes to shade them as she tipped her head up. "You own the whole building?"

"Yes and the little bed and breakfast we've got on the two floors above the bar are doing surprisingly well."

"It's like that place where Dolly Parton lives." Mary shrugged and pointed at John. "You're like a zoo exhibit they've all come to see. Staying a night in your little B&B isn't going to do them any harm."

"I wouldn't mind being as famous as Dolly Parton."

"Wouldn't we all." Mary pointed at the door. "Should I go and seat myself or are you going to show me around the place?"

Anna sighed, leading Mary through the back and toward her office where her bag and jacket could sag, lifeless on her desk, before taking her around the bar. Mary only hummed occasionally and then accepted John's proposal to see the B&B above. A tour Anna declined to go back to work in her office. An office with a rattling aircon that cooled the humid sweat until it only left salt lines on her skin.

She finished the last of the bills and finally filed them away when the door opened. Anna smiled as John entered, motioning him to a seat in front of her desk. "You look dead on your feet."

"I've just been to the bank and the offices of Mr. John 'Jay' Harding."

"About?"

"Mary Crawley is now co-owner of all this." John motioned to it. "She said it was 'a safe investment in the hands of a workaholic and an almost-famous musician'."

"I'm not sure if I should be flattered or offended." Anna nodded toward the door, "And where is our Blessed Lady Mary?"

"Went back to her hotel. She's checking out and getting a room her so she can 'sleep on her investment' because she's trying to find a way to tell her husband she just bought into the scheme."

"Scheme?" Anna snorted, "There's no scheme here. We're all just folks trying to make a living."

"She thinks it could be something more and she wants to float the idea to a few possible investors."

Anna's spine tingled and straightened as she faced John. "That's not a good idea John and you know why."

"She'll find a way to work out what she wants and we'll just not tell her about Vera." John stood, coming around the desk to take Anna's hands in his. "Trust that there are people out there who want to help you."

"I'm not really one for charity."

"Of that I'm aware." John smiled at her and then ran his tongue over his bottom lip. "Although…"

"Although?"

"Although it might be time that someone did something for you."

"You mean Mary buying into this isn't-" Anna gasped, losing the rest of her comment as John turned her chair and knelt in front of her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm showering you in adoration, if you don't mind." John's hands slipped from hers on the arms of her chair and down to her legs. "I'm sure you can appreciate the sentiment."

"I'm not sure where it's going but I've-" Anna's voice hitched when John's fingers tugged at her knickers to move them to the side so he could draw over her skin. "Got a pretty good idea."

"Just tell me to stop and it all ends."

"Not sure it's polite to ask someone to stop seducing you." Anna closed her eyes when his fingers worked a path back and forth between her perineum and clit. "Especially when you're sure it's going to be bloody fantastic."

"Then you won't mind…" John's hand slipped under her ass, raising her up enough to peel her knickers away and tuck them into his pocket. "Wouldn't want anyone just seeing those laying around."

"It'd give them the wrong impression, that's for sure."

"Especially since I'm not inclined to share."

"No?"

"No." John glided two fingers along her folds, slipping and pinching where he fancied until Anna's knuckles went white on the arms of her chair. "Why would I want anyone else to see your face when I'm doing this?"

"Can't be anything too significant."

"That's where you're wrong." John leaned over the chair, scooting his knees forward so he could kiss along her jaw and whisper in her ear. "You get this blush along your cheekbones that deepens when you get closer. It's not as red as your lips get… or even as red as your other lips get-"

Anna bit the end off her cry as John's finger entered her, grazing slowly over her internal walls as if feeling her out. She teethed her lip before forcing her mouth open and her head back to try and breathe normally. The rattle of the aircon in her office did nothing for the heat now as new beads of sweat trickled their way down her back to explore the uncharted territory.

"That sound, the one at the back of your throat, it's probably my favorite." John flicked his tongue at her ear lobe and Anna whimpered in her throat. "If we were alone, and not in your office, I'd want to keep hearing that sound. It's about as wonderful as when you're saying my name."

"John," Anna reached a hand forward to catch his shirt, twisting it in her grip to bring him close enough to bang his knee on the plastic legs of her chair. "If you don't make me come right now-"

"You've not got much patience for this do you?" John teased, kissing under her chin while adding another finger to his internal efforts before matching them with his thumb at her clit. "Seduction is a long game."

"We've not got time for that right now."

"You're right." John nipped at her ear and drew back to face her. "And I wish I had the time I need to kiss over your whole body and leave you drained after as many rounds of this as I can manage with my hand."

"Just your hand?" Anna huffed, her hips moving in the chair and threatened to slide over the floor as the wheels jerked to roll.

"Then I'd use my mouth." John kissed her then, finding that spot that forced her other hand to claw at her armrest and bury her moan in John's mouth.

Her hips shifted and rolled, gyrating mercilessly against his hand until his fingers fought the cling of her vaginal walls to scrape inside her. His other hand held her steady, manipulating her breast with massaging motions until Anna arched into him. She broke the kiss, forcing her forehead against his shoulder in the hopes of finding some kind of leverage, and finally came apart in his arms.

She sagged against him, breathing hard so the heat of her breaths wafted back from his shirt. Her whole body quivered and vibrated, as she tried to reorient herself with reality, and Anna forced herself vertical enough to look John in eye. A brush of his hair sent the hair threatening to tumble onto his forehead back.

"That was lovely."

"It could be more lovely."

"I'm not sure how much more lovely I could take." Anna leaned forward to kiss him but a knock on the door startled them. "Hello?"

"We need to go over the dinner crowd before I leave for the day."

"Shit." Anna pushed a hand into her hair and then motioned under the desk. "Get under there please."

"What are we in secondary school?" John hissed back, a smile forming on his face. "Afraid you'll get caught?"

"No, I'm just a professional and if someone-"

"Anna? Do you need me to come back later? I know you were working through billing but I could-"

"No, it's fine." Anna turned to John and pointed under the desk. "Now, please."

"Alright, I'm coming in." The doorknob turned and Anna swung her chair to follow John's progress under her desk just as Gwen entered the room. "It shouldn't take long."

"Good because it's been a day." Anna drummed her fingers on the desk and bit down on the inside of her cheek when John's lips landed just above her knee.

"How did it go with Ole' Douchenozzle Supreme?"

"Not as I expected." Anna tightened her jaw as her skirt slid up to her waist and John's hands pushed insistently on her knees. She shifted in her seat, moving to place her toes on the runners under the chair and sit near the very edge. "Mary Crawley showed up."

"Oh," Gwen cringed, "I probably should've told you that I may've let slip a few things about…"

"About everything?" Anna shrugged and then swallowed hard when John's tongue stroked just shy of her clit. "She seemed to know quite a lot."

"There are a lot of people who wanted to help you beat Alex Green's scummy ass to the ground and she was the weapon of his demise."

"I rather think he-" Anna coughed, John's tongue swirling around her clit distracting her thoughts.

"Think he what?"

"Hoisted himself on his own petard." Anna rushed to get out, rolling her hips into John's fingers as they prized her open to tease with the tip of his tongue. "He's gotten himself in trouble."

"Let him wallow in whatever trouble it is."

"I quite agree." Anna shuddered, pointing to Gwen. "What've we got?"

"A couple return bookings for the mike, Mr. Bates's slot is his as always, and a pretty big party that might get a bit rowdy." Gwen handed over the sheet. "There's a bachelor party that wants some blues, booze, and maybe a few bruises before they all go off and get one of them hitched."

"Not sure we're going to allow the bruises on our premises."

"Maybe one or two of them get a little too boozy and knock into a table. Or," Gwen snorted her laugh, "One of them biffs it hard like that guy did when he tripped over his own laces, knocked against the bar, and broke a table in half. Oh, I did not envy him when he finally got up."

"If I remember right, he cracked three bones in his wrist." Anna frowned, swallowing to keep her breathing steady as John purred against her skin and sank his tongue deep.

"That was because he grabbed your ass." Gwen shook her head, "You're the one who broke his wrist and tossed him into the bar. Momentum did the rest."

"That was almost enough to shut us down and lose our insurance."

"But what a sight to see. That entitled prick snoring in a puddle of beer and peanut shells." Gwen looked through her other notes. "Far as I can tell it's all sorted for this evening so you're good to go."

"And so are you." Anna bit into her lip as Gwen stood, enduring John's slow strokes with both fingers and tongue. "Gwen?"

"Yeah?" Gwen turned at the door, Anna trying to marshal her expression and the tone of her voice before speaking.

"Thank you, for coming to my rescue. You and Jay it's… It's more than deserve."

"Hey," Gwen shrugged up her shoulder, a smile cutting her face wide. "What are friends for?"

She left the office and Anna leaned into the desk as John finally finished her. In then next moment she pushed her chair back and dragged John from under her desk to loosen his belt. It only took another moment for him to have her against the wall and be inside her.

"I'm so glad you decided to wear a skirt to see the judge."

Anna knocked her head back against the wall as John ground against her, thrusting hard to send her hips hitting the wall. "Me too."

It took him almost no time at all to finish and Anna clung to him until he managed to get both of her feet on the ground. She leaned up against the wall as John shuffled back to rest against the desk. Anna considered getting her breathing under control but the sight of him, standing with his trousers still undone, got the better of her.

When she went to her knees in front of him, John blinked at her. "Anna?"

"Turnabout's fair play John."

With her hands and mouth wrapped around him, it took less time than Anna anticipated to have John struggling against her. His fingers had stroked through her hair but now they gripped the edge of her desk as his hips thrust helplessly against her. And for a moment she considered finishing him that way.

But his hands on her arms put a stop to that idea. A final suck before licking the length of him was all she had when John spun her around to hold her close to him, her back to his chest. They rocked together, his hands sliding her skirt back to her waist so his erection could rest in the cradle of her ass, and moved them to the wall.

With their fingers intertwined on either side of Anna's head, John entered her again. If the frenzy of their earlier foray was any measure, and Anna considered it should be, this was madness. A frenetic drive that left no doubt in her mind there would be bruises. Bruises she would relish as much as she did the urge to spread her legs a little farther and push back into the punishing pace set by the steady drive of John against her.

They strove against one another, Anna arching her back and tipping her neck when John sucked at the sick there, and the thump of her hips against the wall betrayed the pound of their pace. Each motion drove him as deeply inside her as he could manage and opened her further. She tried to turn her face to his, resting their cheeks against one another to feel the vibration of their breathing through their skin, and eventually found his lips. Their tongues tangled in an effort to match the motion of their bodies in every other way until they finished.

John's head rested on her shoulder and Anna's fingers clicked and dragged over the wall. Her forehead pressed against the wood and her chest filled with air to lift his weight slightly from her back on every inhale. Inhales that finally slowed and matched until John slipped away. She reached out for him and tangled her fingers with his again.

He gave a little chuckle, kissing over her knuckles. "Afraid I'm going somewhere?"

"Maybe."

"Don't be." John put a hand along her cheek and kissed her before digging her knickers from his pocket. "You might want these back."

"Keep them." Anna pointed above them. "Who knows, maybe I'll want a drawer so I'm not rushing home if I decide to stay the night."

John grinned, "I've never received women's knickers as a gift before." He made a show of measuring them. "They might be a little tight on me."

"You've made comments that I'm a little tight on you."

"You naughty girl." John groaned, forcing the knickers back into his pocket and trying to restore his appearance. "You'll be the death of me."

"What a way to go though." Anna nodded toward the door. "You'd best get ready for this evening and I've got to get home and changed before someone realizes I've just had sex all over my office."

"Not all over it." John shrugged, "Yet."

"Is that a promise Mr. Bates?"

"It's an offer. Redeemable at any time." John winked and headed for the door, "And I'll keep that drawer for you."

"Looking forward to using it." Anna watched him go and heaved in a deep breath. "Oh Anna I think you're in trouble of already being in love with that man."


	13. Haunt You

Anna removed her sunglasses, blinking at the change between the hazy glare of the afternoon and the darker shades of the kitchen. She waved to Mrs. Patmore, sidestepped Daisy, and worked toward the bar. Gwen leaned against it, frowning as she pushed buttons on a large, old calculator.

Knocking her knuckles against the wood, Anna nodded at the papers around Gwen. "Anything I need worry over?"

"Lunch rush was fine. Bit larger than average but that's all good." Gwen showed her the numbers.

"Then what's got those frown lines setting permanent indentations in your head?" Anna pointed, eyes flicking back to the work Gwen had on the pad. 'These look fine, like you said."

"We had some… odd guests at lunch."

"As in Michael Jackson kind of odd or the guy from _Split_ odd?"

"More like low level bad guys from the Netflix _Marvel_ shows odd." Gwen flexed her jaw. "More than a few guys with tattoos that didn't look like recreational sports and some… let's say some scars you don't get gardening or taking your kids to little league."

Anna paused, narrowing her eyes. "Like the kind of guys you'd see managing a drug cartel kind of odd?"

"Maybe?" Gwen shrugged, "I'm not familiar with that kind of crowd outside of stylized TV but probably."

Anna nodded, "He warned me about this."

"Who?"

"Alex, in court."

"That was almost a month ago."

"Doesn't mean the problem went away." Anna clacked her teeth together. "Maybe they're just looking for him and think he'd hide his scrawny ass here."

"And if not?"

"Then I hope that Sheriff Carson's not afraid of a group of… whoever they are."

"I don't worry that he'd be afraid of them. I'd worry he'd try to take them on and find out that he's actually no match at all for what they are." Gwen tapped the papers. "But if they keep buying as much food as they do I guess I can't stereotype."

"Mrs. Patmore's cooking appeals to all sorts." Anna pulled a few of the papers toward her, checking over them herself. "I sincerely I hope I'm wrong about what those guys want because they could be our whole rush on their own."

"I know." Gwen held up one receipt. "This guy ordered three of her specials. I've never seven seen someone finish one before."

"If I wasn't so worried I'd welcome them back with open arms." Anna sighed, rubbing at her eyes. "How's Jay?"

"The better question might be 'how are you'." Gwen bent her head as it to inspect Anna. "You've got dark circles."

"Lot of late nights." Gwen made a noise and Anna swatted at her with a stack of papers. "Trying to shore up some final details for the opening."

"That's right." Gwen pointed above them. "Construction finally finished."

"Yes it did." Anna closed her eyes and let out a huge sigh. "And thank heaven for it because I was going mad with all the banging and whirring noises."

"Success isn't cheap."

"I'd prefer to see the callouses on the hands of those who worked their fingers raw on guitar strings than listening to the sounds of construction."

"Then it's a good thing tonight's open mike."

Anna paused, "It's the fifteenth already?"

"You really haven't been getting any sleep have you?" Gwen jerked her thumb to the calendar behind her. "It's the sixteenth. But thank goodness it's the darkest night of the month right?"

"Why's that?"

"Because then no one wants to stay outside and we're one of the only places in town open that late." Gwen shuddered, "Honestly, if there were another option I think I'd move where everything isn't closed by ten pm."

"It's a good, clean town where people still say hello to one another in the street." Anna snorted, "That's why everything's closed at ten."

"Have you been reading the advertisements that Sheriff Carson puts out again?" Gwen lowered her voice, "I heard another house got foreclosed."

"We're a vanishing town Gwen, this is what happens." Anna motioned to the papers. "Are you going to file all of these?"

"Were you volunteering?"

"I was wondering if you needed help." Anna put the papers back down. "Don't get snitty."

"I wasn't." Gwen stacked them appropriately, following Anna to the back office. "Do you think I could get that house at a discount?"

"If it's foreclosed then it's making no one any money." Anna opened her office door and stepped to the side so Gwen could open the filing cabinets. "And if the grass is too high or there is property damage you might argue for a lower rate."

"You've got experience with foreclosures?"

"Been close to it a few times." Anna took her chair. "Although I think I've decided to let my POS go and get something here in town. Cut down on my commute and do my part for the environment."

"Don't sound so cynical about it." Gwen opened another drawer, carefully fling the receipts in her hands. "They say we're burning up the earth faster than it can be renewed."

"Then I'm curious why you'd want to find yourself a foreclosed house when your flat in town's so much more convenient." Anna narrowed her eyes, "This wouldn't have anything to do with you refusing drinks with me would it?"

"It's… a bit of a few things." Gwen closed the drawers and took the chair opposite Anna. "Jay got his results from the bar and he passed with flying colors."

"That's great news."

"The even better news is that the firm that wants to hire him wants him on the road so he'll need a home base that isn't the office in Atlanta so we get to stay here."

"Weren't you just complaining how everything here closes by ten?"

"And weren't you just saying it's because everything's supposed to be good for a stable town?" Gwen shrugged, "It's not a place for nightlife, sure, but Jay and I don't need that. Not anymore and certainly not since we're really only with each other."

"So you're setting down roots… like the kind of roots where you look for schools and think about long-term mortgages?"

"Yes." Gwen brought her hands on the desk, tugging at her fingers. "And Jay asked me to marry him."

Anna's jaw dropped. "And you didn't tell me about that as the first thing we talked about today?"

"It'd seem odd since it happened about a week ago." Gwen quickly raised a hand, "I haven't told anyone because I don't want anything to change."

"Because?" Anna waited but Gwen only glanced down and anna nodded. "Because you haven't told him you're pregnant and you're not sure if you should."

"I'm not afraid of his response. I know Jay'll be absolutely overjoyed but I don't want him distracted."

"He'll certainly be distracted when he looks at you and sees your stomach expanding in a way that can't be traced to sneaking extra helpings of getting at the pies." Anna leaned back in her chair, rocking it a bit with her toes. "What do you want me to do?"

"I… I don't know." Gwen waved her hands in the air. "You've already made me your assistant manager here and the pay increase has been great. I guess I just…"

"Needed to tell someone?" Gwen nodded and Anna shrugged, "Not sure I'm the best person to get advice from… if that's what you're hoping to get."

"I need… I need to know if this job might get dangerous."

Anna frowned, "I'm not sure I understand."

Gwen pulled at her fingers, "Those men at lunch-"

"I'm sorry if I-"

"Let me finish." Gwen put up a hand and Anna closed her mouth. With a deep breath, Gwen continued. "They're scary to look at, sure. And maybe they'll be what you say but we'll paddle up that creek when we need to but I'm not talking about them."

"Then who are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the woman who comes here, every month, and usually has some kind of hushed conversation with you." Gwen shivered, "The one who makes all the hairs on your body stand on end."

"She owns the place." Anna shrugged, "It's nothing. She's just not very likeable and I don't like talking to her."

"It's more than that Anna and, for everything we've been through together, I'm asking you not to lie to me." Gwen held Anna's gaze. "Who is that woman?"

"I just told you who she is." Anna chewed the inside of her cheek. "And that's all you need to know about her."

"Is she a threat to you?"

"She's…" Anna fumbled for words. "She's trouble but nothing I can't handle."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be."

Gwen shook her head, "I wish there was a way to break in so you'd understand that I'm here to help you."

"I do understand that but wishing's not going to do us any good." Anna pointed toward the tiny window. "You can pick whatever star you want out there and send whatever prayers you have but it won't do any good."

"You don't have wishes?"

"I don't wish on dead stars because it's a horrible metaphor for my dreams."

Gwen snorted, "Then you've not got any dreams either?"

"Sure I do." Anna let a shoulder rise and fall. "I just know now that they won't come true."

"You can't possibly think that when you've got a man who put construction workers through all those repairs in the hopes he could open his bed and breakfast the floor above your bar." Gwen waited and then frowned, "Unless you don't like him anymore and you're trying to find a way to give him the brush off."

"That's not what I'm doing."

"Then what are you doing because I'm legitimately confused why you wouldn't want to further invest in the love of a man who's as dedicated as he is." Gwen winked at Anna, "And I don't just mean in his business ventures."

"We're never talking about what you're referencing ever again."

"Why? Afraid to admit you've never been as satisfied as he makes you?"

"I'm more than aware that you and I've had the misfortune to date some of the same shrubs that infest this town so I'll not argue with you there." Anna sighed, "It's a different issue."

"Something on his end?"

"You could say we're both bringing baggage to the table that no amount of reshuffling can solve."

"Does it have anything to do with the woman who owns the place?" Gwen tapped the desk, forcing Anna to look at her. "A conundrum I can't seem to solve since I know, for a fact, that John bought this place."

"It's hard to explain."

"I'm smart and I think I could get it."

Anna opened her mouth and closed it. A moment later she swallowed and tried again. "Have you ever watched _Hercules_?"

"I think so, a long time ago." Gwen frowned, "What's that got to do with-"

"Have you seen it, yes or no?"

"I do vaguely remember something about five muses who all sang gospel music, yes." Gwen raised her hands, "What about it? Specifically what does it have to do with the conversation we were having here?"

"Do you remember how Hades was always willing to make deals with people?"

"Yeah."

"Do you remember the deal that Meg made in that movie?"

"The one where she traded her soul to save the life of…" Gwen stopped, her mouth forming an 'O' as her eyes widened. "Are you telling me that you sold your soul to save that bastard's life?"

"Yes."

"And that woman…" Gwen vaguely pointed toward the door and Anna nodded again. "How could you-"

"Make such a big mistake?" Both women jumped, Anna completely out of her chair as the door to the office opened and Vera stepped through. "I think it comes down to the idiocy of people who believe they're in love."

"Are you the devil?" Gwen managed, forcing herself to stand with arms still shaking as she held the chair.

"No, I just work for him." Vera turned to Anna. "This is a new move for you. Telling your co-workers about our arrangement."

"She's not stupid."

"Cut above the rest of them then." Vera circled the desk to hold Gwen and Anna in her view as she eyed them both. "I'm genuinely curious what you'll do with the information you have now."

"Why?"

"When one's kissed by fire, as you are, they tend to make rash and foolish decisions." Vera perched herself on the end of the desk. "Those are always my favorite bargains. The ones made in anger or frustration because a moment more to think or plan is simply too much."

"I've nothing to do with you and I want nothing from you."

"Bully for you." Vera turned to Anna, "But your boss here still has the matter of our bargain to settle. Don't you Anna dear?"

"I'm a woman of my word."

"Then you'll find it very interesting that I've two possible paths of amendment for your deal." Vera turned to Gwen. "I don't think you're needed here right now Red. Why don't you just scoot yourself out the door and pretend you never noticed me."

"But I did."

"Then hope I never darken any doorways in your vicinity ever again." Vera nodded her head toward Anna. "You don't make deals like she did and I'm sure you'd be appalled to learn what she gave up for that… what'd you call him? Yes, the bastard."

"Is he?"

"His parentage is none of my affair." Vera let out a little snort, "But he's certainly one of the least worthy creatures I've ever deigned to save. But, at the end of the day, it's about what gets you the soul isn't it? How I get it is of no consequence."

"Because you work for the devil?"

"Why do you think the place is called 'Devil's Bar'?" Vera laughed at Gwen's surprise. "As much as you think Mr. Bates swooped in here as a savior he's far from. He bought the contract the bank owns on the property but I own the rights to this crossroads and I'm here to collect souls."

"Haven't you got enough?"

"Hardly." Vera paused, her eyes narrowing. "Did Ms. Smith here tell you why I keep coming back?"

"She hadn't gotten to that detail yet."

"Oh," Vera smiled at Anna, showing her teeth. "This is good."

"Not with the wolf-smile you've smeared like a leer on your face." Gwen faced Anna, "What'd you promise her?"

"She promised me the souls of those who play." Vera held up a finger to stop Gwen interrupting. "They've got to agree to it, of course. Her stipulation but one I respect since she provides this little cesspool for me to dredge once a month."

"And you take their souls?"

"I offer them all bargains, similar to the one Ms. Smith made, and they choose for themselves." Vera put her hand aside her mouth to whisper theatrically to Gwen. "She doesn't care for it much. Dear Anna here thinks its detestable and only stands me with the greatest of annoyance."

"I can understand the feeling."

"So there you have it." Vera opened her arms and then turned to Anna. "But you I need to speak to alone."

"The options you mentioned?"

"Exactly." Vera lighted off the desk, flicking her gaze for a moment at Gwen and then back to Anna. "Sometimes I'm fascinated by who and what can be corrupted on this earth."

"I don't get your meaning."

"Red here couldn't be tempted with my repertoire, for various reasons, but on the outside she wouldn't seem any different from you in all the… raw goodness inside her." Vera made a show of retching. "Disgusting habit."

"If you find it so repulsive-"

"I wasn't talking to you, Red." Vera held up a finger, meeting Gwen's eyes. "And it's the challenge of corrupting the incorruptible that I treasure."

"Must've given you a bit of joy when you got Anna then." Gwen risked it and Vera shrugged.

"Getting someone of her particular variety is something to share about the water cooler but I try not to brag too much about that sort of thing."

"What would you think is 'too much' because I'm already tired of it."

"You're free to leave at any time."

"No." Anna held up a hand to stop Gwen. "I'll take Vera here and have this conversation elsewhere."

"Your office worked just fine for our last conversation." Vera sniffed the air, "And apparently for more than a few 'conversations' with John."

"Leave him out of this."

"You'll find out, in a moment, why that might not be possible." Vera opened the door to the office and winked at Gwen. "Until you need a favor Red."

"Sod off."

"I'm so glad you said that instead of 'Go to Hell'."

"I figured I wouldn't waste my breath when you've already made you reservations." Gwen took Anna's arm as she went to follow the laughing Vera through the door. "You can't trust that woman."

"I don't."

"Then what are you doing with her?"

"What I have to." Anna put her hand on Gwen's shoulder. "I made a deal with her and, like it or not, I'm expected to hold up my end."

"Even though she'll never hold up hers?"

"I'm a woman of my word, extenuating circumstances notwithstanding." Anna slipped from Gwen's hold. "This is my life Gwen and I've got to solve this problem."

"And if you can't?"

"Then you can have my house and I'll take your flat." Anna left the office, weaving back through the kitchen to reach the bar where Vera waited. "What was that all about?"

"Which part?"

"You've never let anyone else see you." Anna pointed back toward her office. "Why could she?"

"Maybe she's got a desire to protect you?" Vera shrugged, "Or else she's got something I could use to corrupt her too."

"Don't touch her."

"My dear, I've got more than enough on my plate at the moment without trying to turn your ginger friend there to the dark side." Vera snorted, "And don't forget, she's got no soul anyway so she's already a waste of time."

"Then I'll assume you mean to tell me what deals you've twisted to offer me this time." Anna gestured toward the windows. "The sun's still shining and you're here so I'll assume it was important."

"More than you know." Vera smiled again, sending ice down Anna's spine. "The first deal is that you offer me John Bates's soul and I free you from your debt to me."

Anna blinked at her. "Are you mad?"

"It's under debate."

"I'll not give you John Bates if he was the only thing standing between me and my freedom."

"Which is exactly what this offer represents." Vera shook her head. "I'll never understand what your obsession with that man is."

"Then you know how I feel in regard to your obsession with him."

"He was my husband."

"And what exactly got you from your divorce with him to working as lackey to Beelzebub?"

"Life takes a few uncalculated turns, if you're not careful." Vera leaned over the bar. "What do you say?"

"Bugger off."

"That was only offer number one, Ms. Smith." Vera theatrically cleared her throat. "Offer two, is to halve your remaining sentence."

"How do you half infinity?"

"My, my we do have a high opinion of ourselves don't we?" Vera cackled, "To think your soul is of infinite worth."

"It's what all the preachers say."

"And they're paid to butter you up so you're still coming on Sundays." Vera shook her head, "What is religion coming to when everyone believes that sort of rubbish?"

"They call it 'trash' here."

"Semantics aside, your soul is not of infinite worth." Vera put her fingers close together. "Your soul has a finite value and you've slowly chipped away at it with your offerings of those from your bar in the past. Offerings that, I admit, have been considerable given the location of this place and the shittiness of your bar."

"Technically it's your bar."

"And technically, I'll halve your sentence to a time frame you could actually envision if you offer me someone else's soul." Vera held up a hand, "And I don't want Red's in there. She's hot tempered, passionate, and far too iron willed. You can't convince those easily and I don't have the patience to try."

"Then whose soul?" Anna shrugged, "I assume you've got someone in mind."

"Your dear Alex Green." Vera traced a whorl on the bar. "I hear he's in a bit of a mess that might be something worth solving if he only had the means."

"You want to trust that man has a will for your way?"

"I want to trust in the self-preservation instinct of a flea like him being stronger than his sense. I also trust that he, unlike you, would trade his soul for a bowl of pottage if he thought he'd live a bit longer."

"Alex doesn't have a soul to offer you."

"He's got one and it just so happens to be the kind I prefer."

"Then you're SOL because I've no intention of speaking to Alex Green ever again. His problems are his own." Anna turned to walk away from Vera. "But if you want to track him down-"

"Before or after those men who descended on your bar at lunch time come back for him themselves?"

Anna looked at Vera over her shoulder. "What do you know about that?"

"I know the smell of souls seeped in morally reprehensible actions."

"Make you feel at home?"

"Like you might not believe."

Anna took her turn to snort, "You'd be surprised what I'd believe about you."

"Then let me believe this about you." Vera extended her hand, "You give me a chance to take what little of Alex Green's soul is left and you lose half your remaining sentence. Sound agreeable?"

Staring at the hand between them for another moment, Anna grabbed it and shook firmly. The memory of the electric tingle that set a burnt taste to her tongue returned and Anna took her hand back. "Agreed."

"Then I look forward to what riffraff you bring to your performances tonight while you start counting down the days until we're rid of one another for good." Vera stood up, pivoting on her foot to look over the bar. "It certainly looks better at night. More difficult to see what a shithole it is."

"I'm just surprised you don't burn in the presence of the sun."

"I'm not a vampire."

"Could've fooled me."

"Put your knives back in the drawer, Ms. Sharp, I'm leaving." Vera walked toward the door. "But I'll see you tonight."

When she left Anna set her jaw and tugged her phone from her pocket. Swallowing the bile from her throat, she pressed on a contact in her phone and tapped out a message. Her finger hovered, but only for a moment, and then pressed hard to send it. Once it registered as 'sent' she shoved the phone away and grabbed the bar, holding on as if for dear life.

The vibration of her phone brought her back to the present and she read the response. Anna tucked the phone away, turned to the sink, and vomited. With shaking fingers she washed away the evidence and gathered herself to prepare for the dinner rush.


	14. Howlin' at the Moon

Anna's eyes kept flicking to Vera, in her corner booth, but the woman seemed content to listen to the music while sipping a drink Anna knew no one had served her. She drummed her fingers on the bar and finally pushed her way toward the lifting counter to get into the crowd. As she did she almost bumped into a tall blonde man as he rounded the bar.

"I'm so sorry Ms. Smith."

"It's no problem William." She nodded at his uniform. "Here on official business?"

"Bit like that." He bent down, lowering his voice as much as he dared so Anna could still hear him over the din of the room. "I'm here to keep an eye on a few people."

"Anyone interesting?"

"A group that rolled into town recently and may need some… looking after." William jerked his head toward a grouping of tables where men similar to the descriptions Gwen provided earlier in the day sat. "Sheriff Carson's not too trusting of them."

"I could understand his hesitancy." Anna glanced toward the door and set her jaw as the man walked in. "Tell Daisy I said you've got a free drink on me."

"I'm on duty."

"She'll only caffeinate it." Anna winked at William and wove through the crowd to grab Alex's arm and steer him toward the door. "I told you to come through the back."

"Why? Afraid someone'll see me?"

"Yes, I am." Anna pointed over her shoulder at the crowded tables taking orders of fries, alcohol, and onion rings from three frazzled looking servers. "Friends of yours, I'd assume."

"That's why you called me?"

"No." Anna crossed her arms over her chest. "I called you because I might have a solution to a few of your problems."

"Really?" Alex shrugged, putting his hands into his pockets. "Willing to lend me money or something?"

"As much as I'd like to kick you in the teeth for even suggesting that I'd lend you money before booting your ungrateful ass out the door, no." Anna ground her teeth a moment. "More of a someone who might help you."

"You found someone to help me?" Alex snorted, "What a world."

"Don't sound so grateful." Anna crooked a finger to lead him through the crush to Vera's table. "It's a deal with the devil."

"I'll be the judge of that."

They stopped at Vera's table and she looked up from her drink at them. After one glance she leaned back in her booth and laughed. "What a pair you two make."

"Did make." Anna moved a step away from Alex. "But he's here all the same."

"Anna says you've got an offer for me." Alex took the side of the booth opposite Vera. "Some kind of deal to get me out of the shit."

"Depends on how much shit you're willing to shovel."

"None."

Vera raised her eyebrow and turned to Anna. "You're right about him."

"What?" Alex looked at Anna, who refused to meet his eye. "You talk about me when I'm not around?"

"I talk about a lot of things so you should think about the context in which your name was dropped." Anna focused on Vera. "Take him or leave him, it's up to you, but I'll take the offer since I made this happen."

"I'm as good as my word, remember that." She wagged her finger at Anna before turning to Alex. "Anna tells me you're in a bit of trouble."

"Maybe more than a bit."

"I thought suggesting a mountain might not be kind." She sipped at her drink, "But I've got a way of dealing with matters like these and perhaps you'll help me solve a few problems in return."

"I'm nobody's errand boy."

"I think you'll be everyone's errand boy if you continue the way you have." Vera dragged her finger in a ring around the lip of her glass. "But I'm interested in giving you a chance to be my bitch before those men other there don't leave enough of you for a street sweeper."

Alex snorted, leaning back in the seat. "You think I need a hag like you to help me?"

Vera turned to Anna, "You're weren't kidding. He's a right piece of shit."

"I'm as good as my word too." Anna folded her arms over her chest and shrugging, "But we've all got the demons we drag with us."

"And you wanted my help to save his miserable ass?" Vera chuckled, shaking her head. "The tangled webs we weave when we think we know what's best for us."

"You both want to stop talking about me when I'm right here?"

Vera paused, as if considering her answer, and scoffed. "Of course not. It's a lot more fun to watch you squirm."

"I'm not going to-"

"You'll sit your ass in that seat until I'm good and finished with you." Vera pointed at him and Alex shrank in place, cowering as something about the woman across from him seemed to grow and take over the space between them. "Good. Now that I know you can obey orders, shut up until I ask you a question or give you permission to speak. The adults are talking now."

Vera sighed, "Man-children. And what's worse, more of them every year. How could you ever fall for something like this when you've got my ex-husband chasing after you?"

"I was young and stupid." Anna shifted in place, "And your husband wasn't after me at the time, not that it's any of your business."

"Quite right, another time." Vera winked at her, sneaking another look at Green before glancing back at Anna. "And you're right. Those are perfect adjectives to describe what you were then. Although I'd add that 'naïve' should be on your list but that's neither here nor there now."

"Okay." Anna jerked her head toward the cowering Green. "And him?"

Vera pursed her lips and then shrugged, "He'll do. He's going to self-preserve and I could use his complete lack of morality."

"May God forgive me helping you."

"Then perhaps you should have asked Him for help when you needed it." Vera paused, "Or maybe just let the little bastard die."

"Maybe." Anna pointed at Green, "Are you going to let him speak now."

"Of course." Vera snapped her fingers, bringing Green's attention to her. "I've got an offer that may seem appealing but you should be warned, it'll cost you your soul and then your life, should you cross me."

"How can it be that bad?" He waved a hand toward Anna. "She took the deal."

"What passed between Ms. Smith and I is our business." Vera put her fingers together, resting her elbows on the table. "I'm here to ask if you want a chance to save yourself."

"I don't need-"

"Don't lie to me. It's not attractive and I'm not interested. Since I'm not in the camp of fools who'd sleep with you or the idiots who'd think you'll treat me fairly, I don't need any of your falsehoods." His jaw snapped shut and Vera managed a small smile. "Good. Now, do you want to sell me your soul in exchange for your life?"

Green's eyebrows rose and he turned to Anna. "Is this bitch serious?"

"As the grave, Mr. Green, which is where you'll be in about five minutes." Vera took another drink, flicking her finger toward the men at the other end of the bar who noticed Green. "And I think they want to say hello to you."

"I…" Green looked between the approaching men and Vera. "What'll it mean?"

"You work for me, somewhere not here, and I own you until you've paid back the debt for your soul." Vera snorted, "Not that you've got much of a soul left to offer but a crumpled bill is still valid currency."

"Sell you my soul?"

"Tick tock Mr. Green." Vera tapped her wrist, keeping her eyes on the men weaving through the crowd. "Time's almost up."

"I…" Green thrust his hand forward. "Fine."

Their hands met and the smell of burning skin reached Anna's nose. A crack echoed about the room and the speakers from the stage vibrated, feeding back so everyone covered their ears at the noise. One of the speakers exploded and then all Hell broke loose.

Vera waved at Anna and vanished in a moment, taking Green with her, and Anna fell back into a set of arms that wrapped around her as bullets tore through the booth in front of her. She twisted, crawling along the floor to put her back against the wall and noticed William next to her. He struggled to free his gun from the holster but the snap still closed over it.

Reaching over to help, Anna snagged his taser and slipped over the floor as William moved. The taser pulled from his belt and Anna's finger depressed the trigger to hit the large man ahead of her. He caught both bolts in the chest and shuddered in place before hitting the floor to twitch and squirm until Anna released the trigger.

She dropped the taser, as the man soiled himself and spasmed on the floor, and covered her head as William finally released his gun. He brought it up, his form seamless and practiced, to aim at someone coming toward them with their own gun. One shot and the man hit the floor before William extended a hand to Anna to help her off the floor.

As she went for his hand, he flinched and dropped to his knee. Anna peeked over his shoulder to see someone else with a gun and pushed William to the floor as another bullet whizzed over her head. With fingers scrabbling over the man convulsing to recover from the electrical pulses still ebbing away in his body, Anna found his gun. It fit awkwardly in her hand but she checked it before firing at the man across the room. A thud on the floor encouraged her to grab William under the arm and drag him toward the bar.

Gwen crouched behind it, holding the baseball bat they kept, and Anna forced William next to her. "Where's Daisy?"

"In the back with Mrs. Patmore and Alfred." Gwen's hands on the bat shook so it tapped against the cupboards behind her. "The same place I'd like to be."

"Where's Sheriff Carson?" Anna hissed at William and he only pointed at his radio. "Bloody hell."

She depressed the button and shouted into the speaker. "We need help at Devil's Bar. Shoots fired."

Releasing it, Anna turned sideways and fired at the man trying to get over the bar. He grunted and grabbed his leg, falling over the counter to hit the floor beside them. With a groan he moved toward them but Gwen leapt over Anna to knock him in the head with her bat.

They all sagged back, ducking under their hands when shots ripped through the bottles on the back shelf. Glass rained down on them, tinkling on the floor, and Anna clutched the gun closer to her chest. She pressed herself so hard against the cupboards that they indented her back. Her fingers shook against the metal and she tossed it away to bounce off the prone body of the man with them behind the bar.

"We're going to die." Gwen clutched the bat, trying to breathe through the beginning of tears. "We're going to die covered in glass with alcohol seeping into our shoes and-"

"Police!"

More bullets hailed around the room and Anna pulled her legs toward her. Glass shattered in the background and the splinter of wood set her teeth on edge. But then silence reigned but for the shouts and orders of the police to accompany the metal ring of handcuffs.

Anna let her head hit the cupboard and the tears came to her eyes. They all raised their hands as Sheriff Carson came around the bar. He immediately holstered his weapon and helped Gwen to her feet. She threw her arms around his shoulders and sobbed into his uniform while he patted her back with a gentle but awkward hand. The same hand he used to help William from the floor while his other hand pressed to the injury in his shoulder.

"Sorry I couldn't call sooner sir."

"We came at the first report of 'shots fired' but Ms. Smith's call convinced the Highway Patrol to breach." Sheriff Carson disentangled himself from Gwen and crouched down where Anna still trembled on the floor. "You did good work Anna."

"I think I shot someone and there's a man who peed himself after I tased him with Officer Mason's taser." Anna pointed. "Over there."

"We'll get to them." He let his hand go to her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Before Anna could answer, arms wrapped around her and pulled her from the floor. At first she fought, worried and flailing, but then John's voice soothed in her ear and she spun to hug him. Her arms wrapped around as much of him as she could reach to cry on his shirt. His hands soothed over her, feeling around for injuries and letting the glass fall from her clothing, while she left ever darkening stains on him.

"I'm here. I'm here." He breathed in her ear, twisting them slightly to set a motion meant to soothe her. "I'm alright. It's alright."

"I… I thought I was going to die."

"I know." He kissed her temple. "I know. But it's alright now. It's over and you're safe."

"I wouldn't tell lies, Mr. Bates." Everyone turned as a man in a fine suit entered the remains of the ravaged bar. "It tends to lower the mood."

"Who are you?" Sheriff Carson stepped around the bar, still supporting William as his hand pressed on his wound. "This is an active crime scene."

"Not for much longer I think." The man dragged a finger over the scared and divot-filled bar. "I give it two days before it's ruled something innocuous like 'drunken brawl ends in gun fight' and the whole thing is forgotten."

"The number of handcuffs and the cramped police cars outside the win-" Sheriff Carson paused, frowning at the empty spaces where only glass shards remained… one of them flapping and then falling to shatter on the floor as they all looked. "Outside this building says otherwise."

"Oh, my apologies." The man extended his hand to Sheriff Carson. "We've not met yet."

"Not sure that matters."

"It'll teach you the respect you need." The smile that pulled across the man's face sent a shudder through Anna and she edged closer to John. "I'm Richard Carlisle and I'm a very influential man."

"I don't give a flying fart in space who you are." Sheriff Carson pushed past him. "This isn't something anyone just covers up."

"Then you've no idea the kind of power I have." Mr. Carlisle nodded as Sheriff Carson only scoffed at him. "Tell me, Sheriff, how would you like to never have to run for your position again?"

"How would you like me to take the handcuffs I still have and put them around your bony wrists?" Sheriff Carson tugged William with him. "Come on, let's get you looked at before you stain that uniform."

Anna released her fingers from John, pulling away slightly as Mr. Carlisle turned toward her. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to come down and enjoy some blues music, perhaps a bit of what they call 'southern rock', and perhaps to treat myself to an evening at this…" He looked around and then laughed, "Rather shitty little dive."

"You know," Anna moved away from John, wiping at her eyes. "I'm tired of people calling this place shitty."

"Then find another venue, Ms. Smith." She froze as Carlisle took a seat. "Yes, I know who you are. I've known about you for quite awhile now."

"How do you know me?"

"We've a mutual acquaintance." He put his hands together and leaned toward her over the bar. "Alex Green."

Anna swallowed, "I've not seen him lately."

"You and I both know that's a lie." Carlisle shook a finger at her. "My source says you called him to this bar just this evening."

"Anna?"

Anna ignored John and put her hands on the bar in front of Carlisle, digging in her fingers there to steady herself. "What do you want?"

"I want Alex Green to pay for what he stole from him." Carlisle hissed through his teeth at her. "I want to break his kneecaps and then leave him to crawl across the highway."

He leaned back, gathering himself again as he pushed hair back from his forehead. "I'm sure you share the sentiment, considering what he did to you."

"I'm not overly worried about him anymore." Anna shrugged, "Past is past and he's free to bang whomever he likes now because I don't-"

"I meant the injury he caused you." Anna froze as Carlisle looked her over. "Such a shame to realize you'll never have children. Have you, realized I mean?"

"That's none of your business."

"You're right." Carlisle pushed off his seat, straightening his jacket. "My business is Alex Green and it'd behoove you to help me."

"I don't know where he is."

"You called him to this bar."

"For a meeting with someone else." Anna snorted, "Someone, would you believe, worse than you."

"I think you're playing games with me Ms. Smith."

"I've got nothing to gain by playing with you, Mr. Carlisle." Anna gathered her breath. "I honestly have nothing to gain from keeping you from Alex Green but I can't deliver him to you because I've no idea where he is."

Carlisle studied her a moment more before reaching into his jacket to pull out a card. He balanced it on a broken glass still standing on the bar. "If you happen to run into him again, pass that along."

Anna did not move to take the card. "I'm sure I'll keep you in mind."

"That would be wise considering I'll be keeping you in mind." He nodded to her and walked toward the door. When he got there he took a moment to survey the scene before whistling. "Wouldn't it be a benefit if you had someone to help you fix up this place."

"We'll manage." Anna nodded at the door. "Don't let that crack you in the ass on the way out."

Carlisle laughed and left the building.

Anna sagged against the bar, hissing as her arms impacted with chunks of glass. She moved to remove them but John was at her side in a moment, taking her arms in his hands to pick the glass from her skin, and she noticed the weight of silence between them. Their eyes met every few seconds but neither of them spoke until John let the final shard of glass tinkle onto the bar.

"You called Green?"

"No." Anna found a rag and dabbed at her skin, cleaning up a bit before tossing it into the sink. "I texted him to meet me here."

"Semantics."

"Still an honest answer." She leaned carefully against the bar. "What of it?"

"I thought you wanted nothing more to do with him."

"I didn't want anything more to do with him."

"Then why-"

"Vera offered me a choice and I took it." Anna shrugged as John's eyes widened. "It was simple."

"What choice?"

"She said it was either your whole soul for mine or Alex's soul for my remaining sentence halved." Anna pushed off from the bar. "I took the latter option and I think I got the better end of the deal."

"You sold him to Vera?"

"He sold himself. The choice was his own." Anna pushed through the kitchen, sighing at the holes in the wall and a few dented cooking implements as well as some shattered dishes. "Shit."

"You're avoiding talking about this."

"I'm avoiding justifying myself." Anna turned around to face John. "I wasn't going to give you to her so why not let the scum dwell with the scum?"

"You let him sell his soul-"

"He's not got much of one left."

"All the same," John persisted and Anna rolled her eyes, going toward her office. "You let him meet with her to sell his soul?"

"Yes and I can show you the exact booth where it happened." Anna pushed into her office, holding the door open for John to follow her. "But that's not why you're angry, is it?"

"I'm…" John ran a hand through his hair. "You called him. You still had his number."

"Yes, I did." Anna nodded, "Because one day, maybe in the near future maybe in the distant one, he'd call me and I'd need to know how to tell the police to find him. Or, to help the police track him."

"That's bullshit and you know it."

"You're right, it is." Anna took her seat, "I still had his number because it's one of those things you can't just throw away."

"I could." John slapped his hand to his chest. "The moment I could toss out Vera's number I did."

"We're not all as strong as you are."

"I'm not saying you're…" John sagged, shaking his head. "It's… It's hard to-"

"You're worried that I might go back to him, aren't you?" Anna rose from her chair as John failed to meet her eyes. "You're worried that I wanted his number for some kind of late night booty call."

"Would you judge me if I said 'yes' to that?"

"No." Anna shook her head, "But my feelings were Alex Green is concerned are very clear."

"You texted him-"

"So he could sell his soul to Vera." Anna let out a bark of a laugh. "Honestly you sound almost more offended that I didn't try to set you up for that."

"It's not-"

"Not what? Not what you meant? Not what you wanted to say? Not how-"

"You traded someone's life for yours." John's chest rose and fell the two of them separated by her desk. "You were willing to sell his soul for yours."

"I thought it rather poetic, considering I once sold my soul to save his life and then he repaid me by getting me shot and then running off with a waitress."

"That's not justice, Anna."

"Who said anything about justice?" Anna folded her arms over her chest. "Are you upset that he's out of our lives?"

"Is he?"

"Vera, for all the things she is, isn't one to go back on her word."

"And you trust that?"

Anna shrugged a shoulder, "In an odd way, yes. She's got no reason to lie when she owns me. We're very familiar with where we stand in this relationship."

"Are you?"

"More sure than I am of where we stand in our relationship." Anna let her arms drop. "Why does it bother you so much?"

"Because I wasn't…" He flailed a moment before letting out a breath. "I wasn't here when you needed me and you looked to someone else."

"What?"

"You needed someone to defend you and fight for you and I wasn't here so…" John sank his hands into his pockets. "It's difficult to accept that there's no use for you somewhere you hoped would always have a place for you."

"John," Anna put her hand out but John shied away. "Do you seriously think I don't need you?"

"You didn't seem to earlier." John pointed at her. "You got what you needed from Vera and Green and-"

Anna took his face in her hands and forced his lips to hers. He froze, at first, and then sank toward her. Her hips hit the desk as John's hands smoothed over her body to hold her close and assure himself she stood before him.

They separated for a moment, staring at one another, before John took his turn attacking Anna's mouth. Her hands hurried to open his trousers, flicking his belt to the side and forcing them down his legs so she would grapple over him. He groaned in her mouth and she left a hand snake under his shirt to caress over his chest.

His hands echoed her motions, opening her jeans and pushing them down her legs so his fingers could sneak and scope around her knickers. Anna rocked into his hands, the one at her jaw and the other seeking to move deeper between her legs, while hers continued to try and strip him without focusing on a single location. The lack of focus forced them both to break the kiss again so their hands could attack one another with fervor.

Her shoes hit the floor, jeans and knickers tumbling to the ground after them as John lifted her from the floor to land her ass on the desk. Anna twisted toward him, her hands finally snapping the elastic lower, but John only kissed down her body to reach his goal. Fingers grasped into her thighs, digging for support while her own wrenched into the edges of her desk, as John sank to his knees in front of her.

Leaning back on her hands, knocking into the jar of pens on her desk and sliding papers to the floor, Anna lifted her ass just enough to spread her legs for him. John's kisses rained down on her inner thighs and hips before shifting lower to continue on her folds. His tongue slipped out, licking along her until he explored further to leave her crying out. And his fingers slipped into her when she opened her legs wider to give him more access.

Each motion left her shaking and quivering, his lips and fingers working persistently to find the places that brought her to the edge. Anna collapsed back onto her forearms, leaning her body over her desk, and arched her back as John sucked hard on her clit. The blinding impact of all of her adrenaline rushing through her body heightened her climax to leave Anna shrieking out her finish.

With her chest still rising and falling with the rapidity of a racehorse, Anna pushed herself off the desk to pull John up from his position. He bumped the desk but she only wrapped her legs around his hips and tried to bring him closer. They fumbled with his pants and finally worked him free enough to let him thrust forward.

Anna's forehead hit his chest, her fingers clenching in his shirt, and held there as John rocked against her. Her legs loosened slightly to gain a better hold and John lengthened his thrusts to drive all the way inside her. Their motions synchronized and Anna raised her head to kiss him.

It did not last long, his speed increasing until they were mindless rutting against one another, and Anna sucked in air as John put his mouth to her neck. His breath ran over her shoulders and she clutched him to her as he finished. And she only released him when his shaking hands left her body.

He collapsed back into the chair in front of her desk, his trousers and pants around his knees, and Anna let her back hit her desk. Papers stuck there and she groaned as she lifted herself to peel them away. John could only manage a half-hearted snort before Anna shook her head.

"Anyone could've heard us just now."

"Anyone could still be here." John let his arms wave at himself. "And I'm not really prepared to receive guests."

"I don't even know if the door is locked."

John leaned back over the edge of the chair and flipped the lock on the door. "It is now."

Anna snorted, pushing herself to sit up fully. "How are you not exhausted?"

"Who says I'm not?"

"You're still up." Anna licked over her lips and slid off the desk to land on John's knees. "And I'd like to handle that."

"Sheriff Carson is probably out there, waiting to take your statement or something." John swallowed as Anna inched forward, her hand wrapping over him to entice him back to full hardness. "He'll need to talk to you and-"

"Shhhh." Anna put a finger from her free hand over John's lips, continuing her glide forward. "I'm busy."

"Doing?"

"You, for starters." Anna lifted a leg and slid down him, sighing as she did so. "But I'm in the middle of convincing my boyfriend that there's no one in the world for me but him."

"Your boyfriend?" Jon twerked an eyebrow at her before hissing when she twisted her hips.

"I thought it was time I put a name on what we are to one another." She paused, "Unless you disagree."

"I agree fully and completely."

"Good." Anna held herself close to him, hips still moving over him. "Because I think I might love you, John Bates, and I'd rather not think I blew it on the wrong person for the second time."

"You haven't."

"I know." Anna let her hand caress over his face as she rose and fell, setting an easy rhythm for them. "You're the best man I've ever met."

"I just want to make you happy Anna."

"You already do." Anna pulled his lips to hers, keening when his hands dug into her hips to meet her motions with steady thrusts. "You already do."

They continued, keeping their pace slow and contained until John finished again. He sighed into her skin, his fingers moving over her to give the final spark to ignite Anna's finish. She buried her head at his shoulder and held him as they both relaxed into one another's hold.

"I love you." Anna raised her head to look at John. "I know I've said it in so many different ways but never out loud. Never in just three words and now I've just got to tell you that I-"

"Love you." Anna finished for him.

"Yes." John nodded, "That's exactly it. I-"

"No." Anna put her hand over his mouth and swallowed. "I love you."

John gaped at her, pulling her fingers away from his mouth. "You what?"

"You've said it so many times and in so many ways and I've been afraid to say it back because anything I loved I lost but…" Anna took a deep breath. "I love you, John Bates, and I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." John caressed her cheek. "I'm here for the long haul. For the howevers, the whenevers, and the wherevers before us."

"I'm here for those too." Anna let her thumbs trace over his cheekbones. "And I think I loved you from the first moment you sang to me."

"I was auditioning."

"But you were singing to me." Anna kissed his forehead, "And you've loved a lot of my hurt away. No one else has been to me what you have. I can never repay you for that."

"You don't have-"

"But I do." Anna sighed, pushing his hair back from his forehead. "By loving you the way you deserve to be loved and accepting the love you'll give me in return."

John grinned, "I'll take that payment."

"Good." Anna laughed at the two of them. "Then we'd best get ourselves together so you can show me how much you want my payment."

"Yes ma'am."


	15. Weekend Comes

Anna frowned as the glass went into the new window frame. "It just feels wrong."

"Because it's new?"

"Because it's… not the same." Anna shrugged, "It just changes how the whole place feels."

"How?"

"I feel like I need to make it a coffee shop for hipsters now."

"Don't joke about that." John pointed above them, "What do you think that's for if not hipsters?"

"My hard drinking but well-worked customers who want a place to sleep safely and coffee to get them over a hangover in the morning." Anna took another lap around the room. "Did Sheriff Carson talk to you?"

"He called this morning and we had a nice little chat." John edged around the bar, dragging a finger over it. "Aren't you replacing this as well?"

"Thought it'd add some character if I left that as is." Anna gave me a sarcastic grin before stopping in front of the new tables. "He told me that Mr. Carlisle was as good as his word about those men that got arrested."

"At least your insurance covered the property damage."

"At least I had insurance." Anna ran a hand through her hair, pulling it back from her face to tie it up. "But I guess he's about as dangerous as he promised to be."

"You're worried about Carlisle?"

"I don't know if I should be, since I'm not on his radar." Anna waved a hand toward the window. "But there's been a car on the other side of the street since the incident as if he's waiting for Alex to just show up."

"Green can't be that stupid."

"And I doubt Vera is either." Anna pivoted to face John. "Either way I'm determined to make sure it's not my problem."

"Will he let it all alone just like that?"

"Everyone gets tired eventually." Anna rubbed a hand over her face. "Like me, right now."

"Want to go upstairs and nap?"

Anna wagged her finger at him, "You and I both know that's not at all what would happen if I went upstairs."

"I didn't say I'd go too."

"You'd find some excuse to." Anna stood still as John approached her, wrapping his arms around her. "You just can't keep your hands off me."

"Can't help it. My girlfriend's the hottest woman I know."

"We need to get your eyes checked."

"Only if we check your eyes as well." John kissed her quickly. "What about that car out front?"

"Let him keep it there all he likes. Alex, if he's smart, is never coming back and Vera wouldn't let him." Anna quirked her shoulder, "Is it odd that I'm actually grateful to your ex-wife for something?"

"More than a little but not quite a lot."

Anna frowned, "Why'd you say it like that?"

"Because I'm grateful she got Green out of our lives too." John released Anna, "I'd better get back to work."

"What work? You're here playing every night and-"

"And I'm developing a little bit more of the town."

"What?"

John bit his lip a moment, "That's what Sheriff Carson called me about this morning. Building permits, development plans, and banking advice… not Carlisle."

"So he's talking to you and about something completely different?"

"To be honest there's no reason for him to talk to me about Carlisle since it's not my bar." John motioned around them, "I don't own this so he's not got to tell me anything."

"Then…" Anna took a breath, "Are we living separate lives now?"

"We were before." John narrowed his eyes at her, "Are you worried about me pulling away from you or something?"

"Would it be odd if I were?"

"Not especially." John took her hand, running his thumb over his fingers. "But I promise you, whatever you want to tell me about anything in your life is always going to be of interest to me."

"That's not where I was worried."

John dropped her hand, "I'm not keeping secrets from you Anna."

"You didn't tell me you were making plans to further your development work with the town." Anna put her hands on her hips and then crossed them over her chest as if to keep them out of her way. "With Gwen buying my house and my taking over her flat I thought…"

"Thought what?"

"Thought we'd have a way to start over. You and I, from the bottom so to speak."

"We're not at the bottom."

"I know but…" Anna shook her head, "I'm getting this all wrong."

"No." John took her hand again. "We're not just great at getting one another on the same page."

"But at least we're in the same book now, right?"

"Instead of fumbling around the same library?" John smiled at her. "We'll work it out Anna."

"I know."

John paused, "You took Gwen's flat?"

"Yes."

"And just used the word 'we' when you said 'start over'."

"Yes."

John smiled, "Then you were going to invite me to live there with you?"

"I was." Anna cleared her throat, "Would you like to move out of your bed and breakfast and live with me?"

"Won't it be a bit cramped?"

"I've not saved much from my previous life and, well," Anna snorted, "You saw my shithole of a house. You know what I have."

"And I didn't bring much either." John let out a laugh, "Alright, let's build from the bottom up."

"Let's." Anna let go of his hand. "Go on then, get out there and start developing."

"You're alright with that?"

"If it helps bring life back to this town, yes." Anna shoved him toward the door. "Go on, get going and do what you must."

"What if I just want to stay?"

"We'll get nothing done and you know that you'll regret it." Anna went up on her toes to whisper in his ear. "If you do then you've got something to look forward to later."

"Any particular promises?"

"No," Anna drew back, "That'd be telling."

"What if I want you to tell me?"

Anna shook her head, "Spoilers."

"You're not fun."

"You won't be saying that later." Anna dodged him, "Nope. Get going. The sooner you finish the sooner we can get to having fun later."

John pouted but left the bar, blowing Anna a kiss on the way out. She grinned after him, walking to the glass windows, and watched him until he drove up the street. As she went to turn back to the bar, she noticed movement from the car across the street as the man from the passenger side exited the car to open the back door. When Carlisle emerged, suit immaculate and sunglasses to deflect the sunlight hiding half his face, Anna only groaned.

She made it back behind the bar as Carlisle entered the room. With a finger pointed to the sign on the door, she spoke first. "It says 'Closed', in case you couldn't read it."

"I read it just fine." He removed his sunglasses, leaving them to clatter on the bar as he leaned on it. "But I don't think the proprietor should have to bother with things like that."

"The what?"

"It means-"

"I was asking after context, not definition." Anna rephrased her question. "Why would you suggest you're the proprietor?"

"I happened to put in a bid to buy this place." Carlisle motioned around him. "It will look nice in my portfolio. A pet project, if you will."

"I certainly won't." Anna jabbed her finger onto the surface of the bar. "I'll tell you exactly where you can take your patronizing tone and your 'pet project'."

"Nowhere nice, I'm guessing."

"At least you're quick." Anna shook her head, "I wouldn't hand this place over to you for anything and, if you do want it, you'll have to rip it from my cold, dead hands."

"Really, Ms. Smith, no need for the melodrama."

"And no need to pull your punches when I know you're not here to dangle the impossibility of you buying my bar over me." Anna crossed her arms over her chest. "So why are you here and what do you really want?"

Carlisle eyed her a moment before snorting. "You truly are as incredible as she said."

"I'll not be taking that as a compliment, if you're not too overwrought."

"I wouldn't expect you to be." Carlisle put a finger over his lips. "She mentioned you had a strong will and an iron spine, both of which I find commendable and desirable in my line of work."

"Again, I'm not interested in your flattery."

"And I'm not flattering you." Carlisle grew serious. "I'm offering you an escape from this hellhole to live your life somewhere else."

"And where else would I go?" Anna shrugged her shoulders, "This may be a hole but it's my hole and I've made it mine."

"As admirable as all the blood, sweat, and tears that stain the various surfaces of this place are, they're nothing compared to what you used to do and what you used to be." Carlisle paused, "Wouldn't you like to go back to being a journalist? To writing articles of worth? To writing at all, even?"

"What do you even know about that?"

"My dear girl," Carlisle snorted, "You think the only person I kept tabs on when you shacked up with Alex Green was that little pissant?"

"I guess I never considered myself worthy of your notice." Anna swallowed, shifting her stance slightly. "What of it?"

"I'm here to offer you back the life you lost."

"Unless you plan on turning back the clock in its more literal sense, it won't buy anything back for me." Anna let her arms drop. "I've no interest in whatever part of my soul I'd have to sell you to take you up on your offer."

"Especially considering you only just bought half of it back?"

Anna frowned, "I'm sorry?"

"Don't pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about." Carlisle wagged a finger at her. "I know you owe Vera… I forget what her new surname is now that she's divorced."

"Who?"

"Playing coy gets no one anywhere, Ms. Smith." Carlisle picked up his sunglasses, "I'm sure you're aware that those under Vera's protection are… safe, in a way, but I think that safety is directly proportional to their usefulness."

"Are you useful to her?"

Carlisle shrugged, his suit showing the first sign of any wear with the indentation from the wrinkles. "I'm an agent in her employ, if only ancillary, because I cause the kind of distress and trouble she expects from her agents. A notation I believe you forgot to read in your contract."

"She never printed mine."

"But she still has ownership of enough of your soul to make being here its own kind of misery."

"It's not like I could go anywhere else given the terms of her agreements aren't exactly bound by state lines."

"Then let me be clear as to what I'm offering you." Carlisle leaned over the bar, "As many souls as you need to be free so you give this place over to me."

"Why?"

"Let me worry about that."

Anna shook her head, "No, you think she runs it all like a branch management. Fill one vacancy with another. You want her to bring Alex here so you can-"

"Can what?"

"Do whatever it is you want to do to him." Anna put her hands on the bar and use them as leverage to lean toward Carlisle. "He's never coming back."

"And why are you so sure about that?"

"Two reasons. First, his self-preservation is stronger than his stupidity. They may be his two defining characteristics but he lives by them."

Carlisle scoffed, "We're all that, Ms. Smith."

"Not like him." She put a hand to her hip, squeezing at her scar there. "He let me take a bullet for him because he used me as a body shield. You tell me that's not a defining sign of a man convinced he'll be the last one standing."

"I didn't disagree with you Ms. Smith but you've forgotten what the second thing is."

"Second, he's sold his soul to Vera as well." Anna tried to bite back the smile at Carlisle's confusion. "He doesn't just work for her. She owns him and she's not one to sacrifice her investment."

"You sound awfully sure you understand how Vera's mind works."

"And you don't." Anna pushed off the counter. "I'll assume your dealings with her are periphery. She's nothing to you but an agent of the devil or whatever but to Alex, she's his master and she'll not lose her new slave."

"How very disturbing of you to say."

"It tastes bitter because it's honest." Anna nodded toward the door. "I'm sure you know how to find your way out."

"You're making a mistake if you think you can just ignore me."

"I'm not ignoring you." Anna put her hands up. "I've acknowledged your offer, told you why I won't take it, and made it quite clear that there's nothing you can do to me."

"Who said it had anything to do with what I'd do to you?"

Anna froze, "Excuse me?"

"We've all got our pressure points, something Vera was kind enough to tell me about, and she confided that you refused her offer for total freedom for the life of that blues singer you're shagging." Carlisle's lips twitched up in a smile. "I don't need to convince you of anything, Ms. Smith, not as long as I've got the chance to demonstrate my numerous capabilities through your bugger-buddy."

"Don't you dare-"

"Make threats?" Carlisle put his sunglasses back on. "I make promises, Ms. Smith, not threats. And if you were to make a threat I'd ask how you intend to make it of any use to you."

Anna stayed silent and Carlisle dipped his head toward her. "Thought not. Good day Ms. Smith."

Anna swallowed, watching Carlisle leave, and sagged against the bar.

It took everything she had not to yelp in fright when someone put their hand on her shoulder. But with Gwen's hands raised to the roof and Anna holding her chest, they tried to nervously laugh off the encounter. Anna shoved away from the bar and made herself busy unwrapping the plastic around the new tables and gathered her tools to start assembling them.

"Something up?"

"Why'd you think that?"

"Other than you jumping for the roof when I came in?"

"I was lost in thought and you startled me."

Gwen snorted, "Must've been some thought."

"It was." Anna opened the directions to build the table. "Now are you going to help me assemble these or learn Swedish to read them aloud because there are only two options in this case."

They sorted through the tables and arranged them around the booths and bar until Anna settled on their positions. She paused, looking over the bar, and sighed. "Do you ever think I should just sell this place?"

"After all the work you put into it? After all the work John's put into it?"

"If you wanted to say 'no' you could've saved yourself a lot of extraneous syllables."

"I think you're having a traumatic moment because we all almost died in this very room." Gwen leaned on one of the tables. "I know I've had them."

"Still having them?"

Gwen shrugged, "Off and on. Mostly I'm fine unless something shatters or I smell Jack."

"I've got an aversion to Macallan now." Anna knocked a table top. "Took me two days to get the smell out of my hair and dryer."

"Surprised you didn't light the thing on fire by drying your alcohol-soaked clothes in it."

"I washed them first." Anna shook her head. "I don't know though. Maybe this place and me are like a toxic relationship. You've got to wonder if it's sucking more life from you than you can afford to give."

"What's brought this on?"

"We did almost die in here less than a month ago."

"No," Gwen shook her head and pointed at the tables. "You wouldn't had me on hands and knees trying to assemble these things if you didn't want to keep this place which means you're questioning something a lot deeper."

Anna took a deep breath, "Do you remember the intimidating man from that night?"

"The one in the nice suit with the 'I'm entitled and I know it' attitude?"

"He offered to buy this place." Anna snorted, moving back toward the bar. "Actually, he basically said he intended on owning it so I guess there really wasn't a question there."

"And you're seriously considering selling this place to that schmuck?"

"Wouldn't it free us both to live better lives?"

"Not sure that's the comparison I'd make." Gwen gestured to the room about them. "We've made good memories here Anna."

"But we've got to stop thinking like we're still in our twenties and figuring out our lives."

"You think adulthood is selling this place out to him?"

"I think it's acknowledging that we're no match for a man who runs drugs, gets his people off their convictions, and then casually mentions buying this place." Anna shook her head, "We can't compete in that game Gwen. We're not prepared for it and we've got nothing to fight with."

"Other than our will to live?"

"Do you want to spend that will here?"

Gwen put a hand on her abdomen, "This place is my home. This is where Jay and I are building our lives and the lives of our children. If you want to quit then that's your choice but I won't give up."

"I never said I was-"

"Don't bullshit me. I've worked with you long enough to know when you're considering quitting." Gwen's face hardened. "You're thinking about quitting and you shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because you're too good to quit and you'd hate yourself forever." Gwen moved to the door behind the door. "And you wouldn't be the only one."

Anna watched her leave before pulling the curtains over the windows. She locked the doors and worked her way out the back of the bar when she finished so only the fizzling buzz of the neon lights accompanied her home. Even if it was a short walk, her hands buried in her pockets to keep them close to her body, Anna could not stop the rush of her thoughts.

Thoughts that distracted her enough so she practically tripped over the boxes outside the door to the flat. She almost kicked one but then noticed the addressee and the return address. Her eyes widened and she carefully surveyed the hallway before hurrying them inside.

Dropping them on the table of their kitchenette, Anna dropped her purse and opened the boxes with the boxcutter in the drawer. All of her drawers echoed hollowly as the few dishes and utensils rattled when she returned the cutter but she ignored it. Ignored it to confirm the contents of the boxes before hurrying them to the bedroom. The only place she felt confident checking the new arrivals and even trying them on.

It was then, as she checked herself over in the full-length mirror, someone knocked on the door. Anna froze, her hands slipping on the silk of the bustier, and snatched a shapeless bathrobe to get over herself before sliding in her stockings over the floor. When she reached the door and peeked through the eyehole before opening the door with a smile.

"Hello."

"I hope it's alright that I stopped by." John opened his hands to her and Anna stepped aside so he could enter the room. "You did say you might have a surprise for me at the end of the day."

Anna huffed as they sat at the table, "You've no idea."

"Don't I?" John leaned back to shut the door before facing her again.

"No."

John frowned, "By your tone it doesn't sound like a good surprise but earlier you seemed all made up about this and now-"

"Carlisle dropped by, after you left, and offered to buy the bar before basically admitting he works with Vera and could help me break the rest of my sentence." Anna got through it all and waited as John blinked.

"I'm sorry," He closed his eyes, shaking his head a moment. "I'm just trying to process everything you just said in a way that doesn't fry all of my synapses."

"That would be best." Anna swallowed, "We said that we'd work on communicating and I didn't want to keep this from you."

"I'm glad you didn't." John found her hands and put them on the table between them. "We'll handle him together."

"Gwen thinks I'm quitting if I sell to him. Literally selling out on my dream."

"Are you?"

"It was Alex's dream more than mine but…" Anna flexed her fingers in John's hold. "I built that place. I poured everything into and I… I don't want to lose it."

"Then don't."

"But he's working with Vera and if she-"

"Let today's problems be enough, yeah?" John leaned forward to steal her lips in a quick kiss. "Now what was the other surprise you had for me?"

Anna paused, frowning. "You're not more worried about this?"

"I'm terrified but there's nothing we can do about it now, is there?" John adjusted, as if to kiss her again, but snuck his lips under her chin to trail a line over her neck instead and nosed at the edge of her bathrobe. "I'll assume the surprise is under this because I don't think you've actually taken a shower yet."

Anna twitched away from him and smiled. "Fine, I guess you've earned it."

"I have to earn things now?"

"This kind of thing you do." Anna jerked her head toward the sofa. "Go wait over there and I'll make it worth your time."

"Fine." John stood up from the table, tugging at his tie and unpinning his cuffs. "But I hope you're not planning to leave me out here."

"There won't be any punishments tonight." John's eyebrows rose and Anna bit her lip. "Not what I meant."

"I'm not opposed if you want to go in that direction." John shrugged, "My safe word is Tennant."

"Whatever." Anna left the table, hurrying into the bedroom where she hurried to close and lock the door.

Her hands shook as she pulled them away from the knob but she clenched them tightly a moment to try and control herself. It took a deep breath to finally set herself right but she shucked off the bathrobe and stacked the boxes in her half-empty closet. Even the box with the boots landed there so Anna could sit on the edge of the bed and pull them over her stockings. They slid easily until they almost brushed the garters, something the descriptions inside the box suggested was the desired effect, and dug around for the last piece.

She took the weight in her hand, considering it, but dumped it amongst the tissue paper and kicked the boxes further into her closet. One look at herself in the mirror sent her cheeks from pale to a flaming red color but Anna steeled herself and walked the length of the room. The heels on the boots offered her no resistance and she flipped the lock to exit the room.

John idly flipped through his phone as she walked down the hall, her steps muffled in the rug stretched over the hardwood, and only looked up when she clicked distinctively on the exposed floor. His jaw dropped and he could only stare, open-mouthed, as Anna took her position in front of him. With a swallow that sent his Adam's apple bobbing uncomfortably toward his collar, John finally managed to speak.

"You're going to make me come right here."

"That would rather defeat the purpose." Anna walked right up to him, putting her hands on his shoulders while his stayed firmly attached to the sofa cushions. "I didn't get myself into this for no reason."

"Is it my birthday?"

"Not as far as I remember." Anna put one knee beside his, the leather of her thigh-high boots creaking and sliding over her stocking. "But I could bring it out for your birthday if you wanted."

"Would I be the worst if I said I really did?"

"You'd be rather human." Anna leaned forward, her lips barely gracing his. "But I'd have a question you'd need to answer before that."

"Anything." John's arms twitched, "Can I touch you?"

"It's the point of not wearing clothes." Anna settled herself on his lap. "So you can touch more of me."

"Thank goodness." John's hands immediately caressed her from the exposed skin near her boots to her shoulders and then back as if he could not decide which parts of her were real. "What did you want to ask me?"

"I wanted to know how you feel about the knickers I'm wearing."

John's face twitched a moment, the barest hint of furrows to his brow painting a grin on Anna's face, but his eyes only widened when his fingers slipped down her hip. Anna ground against his fingers, almost biting into her cheek to stop herself giggling and moaning as his fingers slid over her. But she recovered enough to look him dead in the eye.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"How do you feel about them?"

"I think," John sank his fingers into her and Anna sighed into him. "You'd have to be wearing them for me to have an opinion about them."

"Good answer."

Anna captured his lips with hers, steering their kiss as she manipulated herself on his hand. His other hand found every patch of exposed skin she could to mold and massage until his fingers flicked at the catches holding her bustier in place. With a whimper into their kiss, Anna set her fingers to help him release her and, a moment later, the bustier hit the sofa to leave her moaning and keening into John's dual assault on her. One that left her shivering and quivering and tingling all over her body.

But when her climax neared, Anna pushed herself backward to escape John's grip. He tried to question it, even attempting to speak, but Anna put her finger to his lips and let her other hand open his belt. Between the two of them they managed to get his trousers and pants to his ankles and Anna set her mouth to work on him.

There were few things more satisfying than how his fingers dug into her scalp as he tried to control the jerk of his hips. Or how he helped her onto the sofa so her body ran perpendicular to his. But it left her open for his hands and they both whimpered together when John's fingers caressed over her ass to enter her again. And Anna pulled them right to the edge before lifting her head.

John, breathing hard and sweating, could barely look at her as Anna mounted him. She slid slickly down his length until they were as close as they could possibly. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders to set them into a rolling rhythm.

His hands at her hips did nothing to stop or encourage or slow or quicken their pace. Instead he just held there, never breaking eye contact, and Anna took his lips back with hers. Her hands in his hair, raking over his shoulders, clutching tightly to his side, were nothing compared to the marvelous control she felt with her mouth on his. And when he came, she could do nothing but follow.

They rested together, John leaning back against the sofa, and Anna eventually leaning back to laugh. John opened his eyes, with the kind of difficulty that might say that gravity in the room had changed, but he raised his head and noted the same indentations Anna traced on her skin. The evidence of the buttons of the shirt they both forgot he wore.

"I should get out of my clothes."

"And I should let you." Anna peeled back, catching herself before her wobbly legs had her breaking an ankle in the boots. "Wouldn't want to ruin anything else."

"Not ruined." John unbuttoned his shirt and finally rescued his feet from his trousers and pants before leaving them with his shoes and socks in a pile on her chair. "But now I feel a distinct disadvantage."

"Because you're naked in the sitting room?" Anna took his hand and tugged him after her toward the bedroom.

"That could have something to do with it."

"Then don't worry," Anna paused with them in front of her door and finally looking him right in the eye with the aid of her boots. "Because it's yours now too. We're equals here, as we are in everything."

"What'd I do to deserve you?"

"Something rather horrible I'd imagine." Anna opened the door and pointed, "I believe you need to be there."

"Dressed like that you're going to have me ready to come before we've even got to the fun part." John took his position on the bed, laying across the length to stretch out to his full height.

"Where's the fun in that."

"That's what I'm saying."

Anna snorted and freed herself from her boots to crawl onto the bed in just her stockings and garter belt. "Then don't worry, I've got something for both of us."

"Do you- Holy shit!" John wrangled the blankets under him when Anna put her mouth over him again.

But she adjusted herself over him, sliding back so she practically sat on his face. John needed no guidance, not that she could provide any with her mouth otherwise occupied, and immediately set to work. And they licked and laved and loved until both of them shivered and trembled with the exertion of themselves from the edge. An edge that Anna refused to ignore.

She swung her legs away, leaving John with a final lick, and mounted him instead. He sighed, hands reaching out for their home on her hips, and they rode one another together. Moving until there was nothing else to do but give in and let their mutual climaxes build and wash over them.

As they came down from the high, bodies still twitching and shuddering, Anna fit herself next to John. He held her as close as his weak arms could and Anna traced nonsensical patterns on his skin. But eventually she pushed herself up to see him.

"What are we going to do?"

John let his fingers weave through her hair and shook his head. "I don't know yet but I know I won't stop until I've got a plan."

"You're that determined?"

"I've got you and I won't lose you." John took a deep breath and pulled her back down to his side. "But we'll not worry about that right now."

"Why not?"

"Because I plan on using this weekend to move my meager belongings into this flat in between me taking the time to ravish you until neither of us can stand." John turned his head to kiss Anna. "How's that sound to you?"

"Like my version of Heaven."


	16. S'Alright

Anna frowned, turning the knob just slightly as her fingers strummed the chords to get them into proper harmony. A groan from beside her went ignored until fingers played across her skin. She snorted and tried to twist away but could only settle and sigh as they continued.

"What are you playing?"

"Nothing."

"You're tuning my guitar."

"I'm just having a go." Anna looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm sorry I woke you but you should go back to sleep."

"Do I look that tbad?"

"No, you really look that tired." She twisted to put a hand beside his face. "Just go to sleep. You've had late nights for the last week and I don't want you to be too exhausted for your meeting this afternoon."

"Are you going to sing me a lullaby?"

"No." Anna snorted, turning back to the guitar. "I don't know any."

"Liar."

Anna swiveled on the bed, holding the guitar across her body. "What makes you so convinced I'm lying?"

"Because I heard you sing the first night I came here." John pushed himself up so he leaned back against her headboard. "I know you can sing and I'm pretty sure you can play."

"I might know a few songs I could try to pluck out on this thing." Anna waved him down. "But you can't watch."

"I can't watch?"

"No, you'll just distract me."

"That's not fair." John pouted, his fingers tracing over the skin of her thigh. "Because you watch me every night and I have to try and not let you distract me."

"I never distract you while you're playing."

"Because you don't purposefully clear tables right in front of the stage with your back to me so you can shake your ass in my direction?"

Anna grinned, "I did wonder why I kept getting lucky in my office after we closed for the night."

"You thought I could avoid you after I watched that my whole set?"

"I didn't know you were watching me."

"Liar."

"You keep using that word." Anna leaned forward and put her hand over his eyes. "Or you won't get anything."

"Fine." John put his hand over hers, taking it to his mouth to kiss before placing it on the strings. "Then turn around so I don't have to keep my eyes shut."

"Promise you won't try and distract me?"

"I promise I'll try not to distract you."

Anna narrowed her eyes, "I know what you're doing and I don't appreciate the semantics."

"Really? I thought it was quite good."

Anna rolled her eyes and turned so her back was to John again. "Fine. But you only get one song. This isn't going to be a show."

"It's already a show." John's finger trailed down her spine. "Although I wish you'd take off your bra."

"If it stops you distracting me it stays on."

"You may regret saying that."

"I'm starting now." Anna raised her voice, trying to keep the smile out of it, and set to work getting the chords. " _I've cussed on a Sunday. I've cheated, and I've lied. I've fallen down from grace a few too many times. But I find holy redemption, when I put this car in drive. Roll the windows down and turn up the dial._ "

She continued, losing herself in the gentle rhythm, and barely noticed John's fingers continuing their soft stroking over her back. Her voice hitched, however, when his fingers ventured just under the elastic band of her knickers. The shiver that went through her persisted until he matched the tempo with his strokes and Anna forced herself to focus.

" _When Hank brings the sermon and Cash leads the choir, it gets my cold. Cold heart burning, hotter than a ring of fire. When this wonderful world gets heavy, and I need to find my escape, I just keep the wheels rolling, radio scrolling, until my sins wash away._ "

John's lips touched her skin and Anna's fingers slipped on the strings of the guitar. She barely recovered her position when his tongue dipped under the line of her bra and then jumped when the clasps loosened so the expanse of her back opened to his exploration. An exploration he turned into a deep tissue massage between his kisses and the taunting questing of his fingers under her knickers to just brush her clit. Anna rolled her hips, trying to remember the words of the song and focus on the chords, but could only huff in frustration.

The strap left her shoulders and John moved the guitar to the floor. In a moment he had her back to the bed, lips on hers, and their arms fumbled to get her bra out of the way. Once it hung off the neck of his guitar, John lowered his mouth to Anna's breasts and kissed over them before sucking one of her nipples into his mouth.

Anna arched into him, her fingers carding through his hair to hold at the back of his head and guide his attentions. The bed creaked slightly but she hardly noticed, choosing instead to wrap her legs around his hips and buck against him. John's fingers delved into her knickers and forced her legs from around him so he could chuck the fabric to the side of the bed. With her legs opened, as if waiting for permission to wrap around him again, John dived forward with his fingers to enter her.

Her nails dragged rivulets through his hair to his neck and his mouth met hers to swallow every moan and whimper she made in response to his work. Work he embellished when his mouth returned to her breasts. It did not take long with his fingers buried deeply inside her folds, the wet sounds of his fingers and mouth in her ears, and her own body forcing her to writhe like a cat in heat against him for Anna to come. John swallowed that response too.

And it did not take him a moment to position himself between her legs and thrust forward. Anna's head fell back, breaking their kiss, and her knees dug into his side to hold herself still as they both adjusted to one another. Their eyes met and John moved.

Steady strokes, as if setting a beat on a stage, to had Anna lifting her hips to meet each of the motions. Her fingers ran over the contorting muscles of his back and dug into the flesh of his ass when he hitched up to hit the spot inside her that set her blood ablaze. But John continued his slow pace as he lowered his mouth to her ear.

" _Can I get a hallelujah? Can I get an amen? Feels like the Holy Ghost's running through me, when I play the highway FM. I find my soul revival, singing every single verse, I guess this is my church. I guess this is my church._ " John paused, holding them on the edge until Anna turned her head enough to see him. "This is my church."

He shifted slightly and Anna could only grind her hips in the response. Their pace increased, John's hand at her hip slipping occasionally to her clit before grabbing hard to hold her in place. She tilted her hips and dug her shoulders into the mattress to get the leverage she needed to meet each of his thrusts with his frantic pace. A pace that left them both sucking for breath as they fought to find the finish together.

Anna snaked her hand between them, the other still holding John's ass to keep him close, and pressed furiously at her clit. Her focus was to find that point of pleasure her body strove to find and, on her way there, her fingers slipped and slid over John as he drove into her. His eyes scrunched and his forehead hit her shoulder as he came. The final hitches in his body as it stuttered through his finish helped set Anna off and she quivered around his trembling body.

They lay together, John's body still half-draped over Anna, and she mindlessly stroked through his hair. "Hallelujah."

"What?" John raised his head and Anna moved her hand there to force it back from his forehead.

"Amen." He shook his head again and Anna leaned forward to kiss him. "The song. You asked for a 'Hallelujah' and 'an amen' and I thought it was appropriate to give those when you did such an amazing job."

"You're only saying that because you didn't have to finish the song."

"You seduced me."

"Excuse me," John raised himself off her, supporting himself on his forearms. "You were almost naked and holding my guitar. I cry foul on anyone who claims that wasn't you trying to seduce me."

"If I wanted to seduce you, Mr. Bates," Anna pushed at his chest, forcing him to roll over. "I'd have let you sleep and then snuck under the covers to suck you off."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course." Anna grinned at him. "Look, I'll show you."

Before he could react, she was between his legs and had her mouth wrapped around him. John almost jack-knifed off the bed but Anna held his hips down with her hands and sucked him deeper. And when his knuckles dug white into the rumpled sheets around them, Anna swirled her tongue over him and snuck a taste as she slipped into the opening.

His hands settled on her arms and Anna raised her head slightly. His lips met hers and he let his tongue trace out their taste there while his arms encouraged her to lay across the length of him. A length Anna used to her advantage and rubbed herself where John hardened again. And when neither of them could take her teasing any longer, John whimpering into their kiss as his hands massaged into her ass this time, Anna rose up and sank down on him.

Her fingers dug into the skin of his chest, her eyes closed to keep her focus past the rush of sensations flooding through her. Sensations John only encouraged with each gentle thrust of his hips toward hers. Each one had her grinding and rolling into the next as her knees kept her supported on either side of his hips.

John leaned up, his arm wrapping around her lower back to pull her closer, and thrust deeper when Anna took him back into a kiss. A kiss she held until the need for air dotted black on the corners of her vision. She broke the kiss with a gasp and then cried out as John returned his lips to her breasts.

They held one another close, as close as they could get in their positions, and slowed. Their rhythm matched the steady thud of their heartbeats and Anna covered his heart with her hand. John's hand went over hers, dragging her fingers to his mouth to kiss. When their eyes met again he dropped her hand and Anna cried out when John moved his hand between them to help her climax.

He followed while Anna went through the throes of her orgasm, and they clutched at one another until they settled long enough to lay back on the bed. Anna slipped to the side, putting her head on John's shoulder and breathing deeply as a way to help ease the race of her blood. His arm wrapped around her, tracing her spine, and soon the tempo of their breathing matched and evened again.

"You really should get some sleep." Anna muttered, kissing the skin closest to her and closing her eyes.

"Is that code for the fact that _you'll_ be getting some sleep?"

"Might be." Anna wrapped her arm around his waist to hold herself to him. "If you want, you can sing me a lullaby."

"I'll see if I've got one." He cleared his throat and hummed softly to start. "'Sé mo laoch mo ghille mear. 'Sé mo Shaesar, ghille mear. Ní fhuaras féin aon tsuan ná séan, Ó chuaigh I gcéin mo ghille mear."

Anna closed her eyes and smiled as they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Someone knocked on the door and Anna raised her head, frowning. She checked her phone and then slid it back into her pocket as she crossed through the sitting room to the door. Something raised the hairs on the back of her neck but Anna ignored them and opened the door.

"Hello Anna."

She froze, stuck in the doorway, and met the eyes of Alex. "What are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet the love of your life?"

"You're not the love of my life."

"I was."

"Different love, different life. And all of it in a different time." Anna inspected the hallway. "Where's your minder and her leash for you?"

"Please," Alex rolled his shoulders, "I threw that bitch the moment I could."

The hairs on Anna's body now stood on end. "You don't know what you're doing."

"What? You think I couldn't flesh out her operation in a second?" Alex snapped his fingers, "Anna, I've got her whole scam down pat and I can replicate it now. I could take it over from her."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"What? Think she'll come for me?"

"I know she will."

"Aw," Alex reached forward a finger but Anna dodged out of the way. "You're still worried about me. After all this time you still care."

"If you think I give a single shit about you then you're delusional as well as stupid." Anna checked the corridor again. "I'm worried about what she'll do when she finds you."

"Like she'd look for me here."

"You're right, because it was stupid as shit for you to come back here." Anna put a hand through her hair, "Why are you here?"

"I told you," Alex stepped forward but Anna almost closed the door on the arm he reached out to her. "Be kind Anna."

"Why? You were never kind to me."

"I was young and stupid."

"You're still stupid. You just can't claim to be young anymore." Anna winced, rubbing at her back. "Look, if you want to put your life in your hands then so be it but leave me, and everyone else here, the hell out of it."

"Or what?" Alex stared at her and then wagged a finger. "Remember, never make a threat you're not willing to make good on."

"I don't need any threats." Anna stood taller. "I've got reality on my side and the reality is that you've got two very dangerous people looking for you. The only question is, which one gets you first."

"Because you're not going to trade your soul for me this time." Alex's mouth widened into a leering grin as Anna's face dropped. "That's right. Vera told me all about your little deal with her, to save me, and I've got to be honest…"

He made as if to wipe a tear from his eyes. "I was all made up about it."

"You're a bastard."

"Maybe." He shrugged and raised his arm to lean on the wall next to the door. "You must've loved me something fierce to trade it all for me to live."

"I must've been fiercely dumb too." Anna looked him over, shaking her head. "How did I ever fall for you?"

"We were good together."

"No, we were mediocre but neither of us had any experience to know the difference." Anna blinked and nodded at him. "Keep whatever drama you've got brewing to yourself."

"Or what?"

"Or I use the two numbers in my phone that connect to the two people who want to use your skin for coats right about now and I ring them." Anna waited, noting the flash of fear that furrowed the brows on Alex's face. "Is that a good enough threat for you?"

"You wouldn't."

"I offered your soul to save mine once." Anna pushed the door until only a crack remained between them. "Don't think I won't offer it right back for the rest."

The door shut with a click and Anna exhaled. A moment later the door exploded into fragments and Anna flew across the room. She barely missed the counter that separated the kitchenette from the sitting room and knocked into the back of the armchair.

Blinking her vision clear, Anna tried to stand but a weight settled on her back. A knee dug into the space between her shoulder blades and Anna's face dug into the shagged rug under her face. It burned as her face dragged over the rough material while a voice hissed in her ear.

"You think it's that easy to get away from me?"

"Get off."

Anna kicked back, catching Alex's lower back and upsetting his balance. It was enough to roll him off her back as she crawled away from him, moving so as to keep him in her view. He jumped at her, recovering his balance, and Anna kicked out with both her feet to knock him into the armchair. Both toppled with a resounding crash.

She got to her feet, fumbling on the side table to jerk the lamp from it's place and ripped the cord from the wall. It flung out and whipped her in the leg but Anna used it to duck Alex's wide swing. The lamp in her hand hit him in the side, confusing them both with the shade catching between the two of them.

Alex wrenched it off and threw it away but Anna managed another swing that broke the bulb over his head. Shards of treated glass tinkled on the hardwood as Alex grabbed for his head. Bits of glass stuck in his skin and he checked the blood before snarling at Anna.

"You think you'll get the better of me?"

"I'll do it well enough." Anna crouched and dodged as Alex lunged for her again. She adjusted her path to try and get herself toward the remains of the door, part of her praying she could get away if she had five seconds of a lead.

"You've always had help in the past." Alex stalked toward her, stepping back only to avoid the lamp as Anna swung it after him again. "Now you're all by yourself."

"I'm not scared of you."

"All evidence to the contrary." Alex charged her and Anna flipped the lamp toward him.

It missed but the cord came up as well and catch Alex under the chin. The prongs whipped him in the face and hit his eye. He staggered back into the counter, holding his eye, and Anna ran for it.

The lamp still clutched in her hand, fingers so tight around it she wondered if she'd have to accept it as part of her appendage now, Anna fled down the stairs. They wrapped around themselves, continuing down in a never-ending square. Her steps echoed in the shaft and soon bounced back to her in the sound of slightly louder, heavier steps tracing hers.

Anna did not stop, pushing through the door at the bottom and out into the street. A car horn honked and she barely avoided it hitting her but it knocked the lamp from her hand. She stepped back, tripping over her feet, and watched as Alex stalked toward her.

He picked up the broken remains of the lamp, grabbing the snapped end of it and holding it out toward her. "Thought you could get the better of me? Thought you could run away?"

Anna did not have the chance to respond. A car drove around her, screeching brakes and squealing tires distracting both she and Alex, and out jumped the men from the bar. But while Anna immediately cowered behind the closest car parked on the street, Alex only sighed.

She huddled behind the wheel, trying to distract herself from the scene playing in reflection on the window in front of her. The men charged Alex but he just knocked them aside as if they were made of tissue paper. Each one made the mistake of approaching him and earned their reward.

One mad had gone to grab him from behind, ready to wrap beefy arms around Alex's body to manhandle him, but Alex moved faster than the man could see and shoved the pointed end of the broken lamp in his neck. Another tried to use his fists to crumple Alex in two but he licked the plug end of the lamp and put it to the man's chest until the smell of burnt hair and skin filled the air to give scent to the sound of the sizzle. And the one man who thought about drawing a gun soon found it pointed at his own head before it exploded.

Anna held her knees to her chest, forcing her eyes closed to try and stop the tears that would surely give her away with their noise. When she opened them, Alex stood over her with a dark expression haunting his face. She tried to stand up, to scramble away, to get out of his reach but he grabbed her throat and pressed her against the car.

"She may have what's left of your soul but I've got your life in my hands." Alex paused, finally tracing her face with his finger. "Do you remember what it was like between us? You used to make me so mad I just… I couldn't stop myself but you shouldn't have made me mad then."

"I-" Anna wrestled against his hand but Alex only tightened his fingers in the claw around her throat.

"Now I've got the power to really do some damage so I suggest you-"

What Alex suggested to Anna she never found out. She might have, had he followed her earlier suggestions, but his stupidity caught up with him faster than his pride could admit. And when he looked down between he and Anna to see a fist through his chest the realization came a moment too late.

He turned over his shoulder to see Vera standing there. His fingers loosened and Anna sank to the side, holding onto the car as she wheezed and coughed while massaging life into her throat. Alex almost turned toward Vera but her other hand landed on his shoulder and kept him in place.

"I'm sure you thought you were smart and you thought you could do deals behind my back but you forget," She ripped her arm from him and Alex hit the ground, holding his chest and wheezing past the hole there while Vera's arm stayed remarkably clean. "I'm the Boss Bitch around here."

Alex only twitched and lay still as his head hit the pavement. Anna sank to the ground, her chest rising and falling so quickly no air actually settled long enough to oxygenate her lungs, and jumped when Vera touched her. She tried to slide away, crab walking backward until her back hit brick and her arms gave over to the trembling and quivering now echoing through her body.

"I apologize for the mess." Vera clicked her tongue at Alex's body and then raised her head a bit to see over the car to take in the scene from the street. "He did a mighty messy job there, didn't he?"

Anna could only stare at Vera, her mind accelerating through a host of emotions so quickly that none of them settled long enough to form a coherent thought. Vera sighed, shrugging as she crouched in front of Anna, and spoke again. "Not that I'd expect you to speak. You've just endured a trauma and that can be terrible."

She stood, casting her shadow over Anna. "But I'm glad you saw this. Glad you could take in the scope of what could happen to you."

"What?"

"This." Vera pointed at Alex, waving her other hand vaguely toward the bodies in the street. "They're his doing and really none of my business."

"You're doing business with their boss."

Vera stopped, her mouth forming a small 'O' as she crouched back down to Anna's level. "I do hope you're not getting ideas now either."

"I just want to be free."

"Good, good, I like that motivation. It keeps a person honest. Now," Vera pointed at Anna, "I'm only going to give you this warning once so appreciate it and pay attention."

Anna could not tear her eyes from Vera as the woman continued. "This is what'll happen if you go against my orders. This scene, right here, what you just say me do to little Mr. Green, that'll be your fate as well if you think about crossing me."

"Never." Anna's face twitched, her eyes darting toward Alex, but Vera only waved it off.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about him. "That was his reward for betraying me and your warning. Take note of it and don't bring the same on yourself. It's very simple."

"What about-"

"Ah, yes, always think about number one." Vera clicked her tongue at Anna. "Your sentence stands as it did. His decisions were his own. You've still only got your portion left."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why let him come here?"

Vera shrugged, "I honestly didn't believe he'd be so stupid but I seem to have underestimated how much his dick thought for him. Stupid me, should've remember how men work." She rubbed her palms against her trousers and stood. "But mostly it did serve as a reminder to you to stay in line."

"I've always been in line."

"Have you?" Vera cocked her head to the side as Anna used the wall behind her to stand. "Because I think, Ms. Smith, we both know you're lying."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about how this place, your bar, even you… they're all cogs in my machine and you keep trying to toss a spanner in the works." Vera settled, reaching out a hand to stroke through Anna's hair and ignored her flinch. "It's got nothing to do with you, you realize that yes?"

"What?"

"It's got nothing to do with you." Vera enunciated every word and dropped Anna's hair. "All of this has been, and still is, an elaborate trap for John. To bring him back to me."

"But he won't-"

"Come back to me willingly, you're right, he never will. However," Vera raised a finger and leaned close to whisper in Anna's ear. "He'd stay here for you. He might even sell his soul for you."

"Don't you-"

"Ah, ah, ah," Vera flicked her finger back-and-forth like a clock hand. "Don't threaten me, since we both know you've not got the power to do so, and don't think I can't make it all as I see fit right this moment."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"Delayed gratification." Vera took a deep breath, "John Bates will be in my grasp again and you, dear Anna, are the bait."

"He doesn't love you."

Vera blinked at her, "I don't intend to love him, Ms. Smith. I intend to own him, to have mastery over him, to bend him to my will." She snorted, "Love is a far cry from what I plan to gain from John Bates."

"I won't give him to you. I won't help you."

"Then I guess you've got a choice, don't you Anna." Vera leered at her. "Either give up your chance for happiness and break his heart so badly he never comes back here. Or, live with the knowledge that one day I'll snatch him from you all the same."

Vera stepped back, raising a hand. "It's your choice."

With a snap, she was gone.


	17. I Dream of Highways

She leaned back in her chair, idly chewing at her thumb nail as her eyes gazed at her desk without taking in a single detail. The toe of her shoe held her in one place as she swiveled the chair back and forth. Her body leaned to the side, resting on the arm of chair to hold up her hand, and she lost herself in the slow repetition of her motions.

A knock on her door had her pausing, blinking her eyes to focus on the door. Whoever stood there knocked again and Anna straightened in her chair before calling out. "Come in."

John's head peeked in and he smiled at her, "Hey."

"Hey." Anna tried to smile but it faded quickly. "I thought you were busy all day. Something about your B&B or something you had on the edge of town."

"Both done." John frowned, glancing toward the wall clock and then checking his phone. "You do know what time it is, right?"

"What?" Anna blink at him and then started, "Oh shit."

"It's okay." John put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"When did I say I was?" Anna gathered her things, noting her lack of overall work. "I was just… focused."

"On what?" John pointed at the papers she mindlessly shuffled in her hands. "These are as blank now as they were at home this morning."

"Monitoring me now?"

"I'm just concerned Anna." John put his hands over hers, slowing her motions. "You've not said much about what happened."

"There's not much to say."

"You watched your ex-boyfriend kill three people and then have his-"

"Thanks," Anna interrupted him. "I know what happened. I was there and I don't need to remember it."

"And I don't want you to." John's fingers moved over hers, "You've been having nightmares for a week now."

"Sorry if I woke you up."

"That's not-" John huffed, "That's not what I wanted you to get out of that comment."

"Then what do you want from me John?" Anna dropped the papers on the desk. "Do you come in here for a shag?"

"What? No, Anna-" john reached for her but she avoided him. "You've not said two words to me since it happened. I know you've been avoiding me because you get up before I'm even half awake and you keep coming back late. Are you even sleeping?"

"Since you mentioned my nightmares I guess that answers the question for you."

"That's not sleep, Anna."

"It is what it is." Anna closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, just… I'm exhausted and I'm taking it out on you. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry." John sighed, pushing his hands into his pockets. "Mind if I offer to walk you home?"

"That'd be nice." Anna managed a partial smile as they locked up to leave the bar. "How's the business going?"

"I'm still bringing in good flow on the B&B and we're doing well with me headlining for the evenings." John shrugged a shoulder, "It's all looking up."

"For now." Anna muttered and then shook her head when John turned to her. "Just… bad harvest, bad harvest, bad harvest."

"What's that all about?"

"Farming tradition, back home." Anna hugged the papers closer to her, shivering slightly in the wind. "When the farmers had a good harvest they'd say 'bad harvest' to try and trick the gods so they didn't get jealous and bring some other misfortune down on them."

"Did it work?"

"It's a superstition, it works as well as you think it does."

"Did it keep Vera away?"

Anna paused in her steps, refusing to look at John, and swallowed, "No. No, it didn't help at all."

"Then…" John stopped, clamping his jaw shut so tightly Anna heard the clack of his teeth as they impacted.

"What?"

"I don't want to rush you."

"Rush me into what?"

"Obviously something's bothering and I don't want you to feel like I'm bullying you or anything." John faced her, reaching out a hand but retracting it. "I want you to talk to me when you're ready but I do want you to know that you can tell me if there's something wrong."

Anna opened her mouth as if to speak and then shut it, shaking her head. "No, it's best not to."

"Not to tell me?"

"Not to bring it up." Anna shrugged, "It'll all just go away right? Just let it wash away with the tide and all that."

"I'm not familiar with the phrase."

"It's… It's whatever." Anna pushed forward. "Come on. I'm bushed."

"I should think so. You didn't get back until after midnight last night and were up at half-five."

"Couldn't sleep."

"And we roll right back to where this conversation started."

"Then find another topic to discuss." Anna ground her palm into her forehead. "Just… Just talk about something else, please."

"Okay." John floundered a moment. "What if we went out? Take a weekend and go someone nearby. We'd get a hotel, have a couple nice dinners, and just enjoy getting up when we want to for a bit."

"A holiday?"

"If you want." John finally caught one of her hands, covering it with his. "I just want to get us away from all of this stress. We've spent the last six months living under a dark cloud of everything and anything and I think it's time for us to have a few days in the sun."

"What if we're not eligible for the sun?"

"If you're talking about your deal with Vera-"

"It's still hanging over my head, John, and it's not going away. Not unless she gets what she wants." Anna shivered, "It's death by a thousand cuts but it's my death and I feel each and every one of them."

"It doesn't have to be that way."

"She's not just going to decide that it's fine and show me mercy." Anna shivered, "I saw what she did to the last person who thought they could outsmart her and… I won't let that be me."

"Is that what's been bothering you?" John held her shoulders, forcing Anna to face him. "She threatened you?"

"She's threatened me before. This time it was just… It was just more visceral than the other times."

"I'm sorry that happened."

"It is what it is." Anna flinched out of John's hold. "Let's get home. It's getting cold."

"Just in time for Christmas."

"I'd forgotten." Anna pulled out her keys and worked into the lobby, taking the stairs and forcing John to follow her up them instead of taking the rickety lift at the end of the corridor. "I haven't really celebrated in the last few years."

"What if we made that our holiday?" John hurried behind her as Anna worked her key into the stiff lock of their new door. "Take the week of Christmas to New Year and go somewhere? I hear there are good beaches in Florida near the coast or the Pacific."

"It's the Atlantic on this side." Anna laid the papers on the table and put her purse on top of them so they only fluttered slightly when John closed the door. "I just… I'll go wherever you want. I'm too tired to talk about it right now."

"Right," John shook his head. "I'm sorry. Do you want me to make you anything or-"

"I'm fine." Anna held up a hand to stop him. "I'm going to take a shower and go to bed."

"You're sure?"

"Very." Anna slipped off her shoes and carried them to their room.

Her eyes lighted, momentarily, on the sight of their shared closet. Barely a twitch echoed at her lips when she noted the way they organized the space and turned to the chest of drawers. They thumped and thudded as she pulled out her accouterments for bed and stripped off her clothes from the day. But it all blurred together until the next thing she knew she stood in front of the mirror toweling her hair dry.

She looked at herself in the mirror, focused on the harsh exposure of the light on her skin, and startled when John put his arms around her. "You scared me."

"Sorry." He kissed her throat. "Thought you might like a goodnight kiss or something."

"Not tonight." Anna slipped from his grasp, hurrying into her knickers from under her towel and working her shirt over her head so she could snap her towel free without exposing more of her skin than she already had. "I'm tired."

"You keep saying that."

"Because it's still true." Anna worked into her pajama bottoms. "I've just got to brush my teeth and then I'm all ready."

"There's no rush."

"Fine." Anna hurried through the process, catching John's furrowed brow in the mirror occasionally, and finally spit her last before rinsing out her mouth. "All finished."

"And you're-"

"Yes, I'm sure I don't want anything." Anna left the bathroom, shutting off the light as if she did not notice John still standing inside the door.

She pulled the covers back, getting herself as comfortable as possible on the bed while taking up as little room as she could manage. Her body hugged the very edge of the mattress and she scrunched herself smaller when John eventually joined her. Not a bit of her body touched his and she finally wrestled herself to sleep with all of her muscles tight and her teeth on edge.

* * *

 _It played over and over in her mind. She dissected it to the minutest detail, as if she could find the moment it all went wrong and reverse that single choice. Choose to stay in England instead of going to the States. Refuse the offer in that bar with Alex. Reject the microphone. Say 'no' to that date. Never move in with Alex…_

 _Then the memories really started._

 _She remembered opening the door and Alex cowering behind her. The pain and the burn as the bullet ripped through her skin and seared her muscles. Her hands pressed on the area and she stumbled backward. The motions all around her were vague impressions on her mind as it struggled to comprehend the reality of the hole now leaking her life fluids onto her sitting room floor. Struggled to fire the right synapses to keep her conscious and breathing when all her body wanted to do was pass into oblivion with the pain._

 _But she stayed awake. Long enough for the neighbor she barely knew to get an ambulance there. Long enough to try and explain the situation. Long enough to notice Alex was not holding her hand or standing by her side._

 _She remembered leaving Atlanta and coming here. Coming to the crossroads where they would build her dream and make it their own. Where he got sick._

 _Those nights, holding his hand at the hospital as he fought for his life and each beep on the machine signaled his step closer to the other side and more money she could not pay. But she clung to him as he breathed heavily into the tubes under his nose and wheezed his breaths into barely inflating lungs._

 _It was one of those nights, as Anna took a break to work the kinks out of her neck from sitting in the chair and falling asleep with her head dropping sideways, she stumbled toward a vending machine. It did not dispense the tea she wanted and when she kicked it as hard as she could, it only shook and bruised her toes. Holding the wall and seething, Anna slapped the flat of her hand against the machine._

 _"_ _Dammit!" She held the wall and massaged her toes through her worn shoes._

 _"_ _Couldn't wring blood from the stone?" She blinked at a woman sitting in the chair on the other side of the little kitchenette, flipping through a magazine._

 _"_ _I guess not." Anna limped over to a chair and pointed. "Mind?"_

 _"_ _Please." The woman shrugged and Anna sat. "I could use a bit of company."_

 _"_ _Waiting on someone?"_

 _"_ _You could say that." The woman still refused to meet Anna's eyes, consumed as she seemed to be by her magazine. "But I've a feeling I won't be waiting long."_

 _"_ _Family?"_

 _"_ _Not mine." She finally closed the magazine and stared at Anna with an expression that sent shivers down her spine. "I'm curious who's got you here in the small hours."_

 _"_ _Boyfriend." Anna jerked a thumb in the direction of Alex's room. "He's fighting for his life in there."_

 _"_ _Fighting the good fight then." The woman extended her hand to Anna across the table, "Vera."_

 _"_ _Anna." Anna shook firmly and frowned at the slight tingle in her fingers, like she touched something burning. "You don't sound local."_

 _"_ _Neither do you."_

 _"_ _I'm not." Anna shrugged, "Yorkshire."_

 _"_ _Ireland." Vera paused, "How long's your boyfriend got?"_

 _"_ _Doctors say if he doesn't get better by the morning then I should be contacting relatives."_

 _"_ _That bad?"_

 _"_ _It's pretty bad." Anna shivered, holding herself as she sniffed. "I just… I wish there was more I could do but I can't even contemplate him waking up because then I have to think about how to pay for this and our bar only just gotten off the ground so I'm already so deep in debt I'm drowning in it and-"_

 _She finally broke down into sobs, noting Vera's solitary pat on her shoulder. When she recovered herself, taking the offered tissues from Vera's hand, Anna took a deep breath. "Thank you. I've needed to get that off my chest but with everything lately-"_

 _"_ _You've got to hold it together because no one else can." Vera nodded, "I know a bit about that."_

 _"_ _You do?"_

 _"_ _Of course I do." Ver put a hand to her chest. "I deal with this sort of thing all the time. It's my stock-in-trade, as it were."_

 _Anna paused, "This isn't the moment you start singing a rendition of_ Poor Unfortunate Souls _is it?"_

 _"_ _Hell no." Vera snorted, "I can't sing and I'm not a witch."_

 _"_ _But you help with things like this." Anna tapped the table, "What are you, a bank representative?"_

 _"_ _What I offer is a little more difficult to get but a far more complete option." Vera opened her hands, "I could offer you a solution to your medical bills, your boyfriend's health, and an uptick for your bar if you sell me your soul."_

 _Anna took her turn to bluster and scoff. "Are you serious?"_

 _"_ _As the grave."_

 _"_ _I just sell you my soul and that's it?"_

 _"_ _Well there'd be other compensations." Vera smiled, "Did you know your bar was built on a crossroads? It's why they called it 'Devil's Bar'."_

 _"_ _I'm not seeing the connection."_

 _"_ _Those who went to the crossroads could sell their soul to the devil for the chance to play the blues." Vera shrugged, "I do hear you're needing a theme for you little place."_

 _"_ _And you want that to be it?"_

 _"_ _I'll make it clear." Vera ticked up her fingers, "I'd own your bar and I'd own you. Every night, when the new moon makes the sky the darkest, you'll hold an open mic night that I'll attend. If I find souls worth my trouble I'll offer them a chance to play the blues. For every one of them that agrees, you'll take back a bit of your soul."_

 _"_ _What about the other stuff? The bills and Alex?"_

 _"_ _That'll be my collateral, to make sure you won't renege on our deal." Vera extended her hand again, "What do you say Anna, are you ready to put your life right again?"_

 _Anna extended her hand and-_

 _There Alex was, pushing through the door. Shards flew around her and the pain of the moment came back to her. Every moment broke down in excruciating detail as she tried to fight and get away. And the fear returned when she clenched her muscles as she hid behind the car._

 _But this time it was not Alex that rounded the car to confront her. This time, like all her other nightmares, it was John. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly._

 _And, like every other time, the moment she relaxed in his hold something hit her. She fell back into the car and screamed at the sight of Vera's hand through John's chest. He did not drop like Alex had, did not fall bleeding and silent to the ground like Alex had. Instead he turned to Vera and nodded._

 _When he met Anna's eyes again he took his own heart from his chest and handed it to Vera. He about-faced and joined Vera before speaking. "This is what your actions brought. This is on you."_

 _When Anna reached for him it was as it the distance between them lengthened but he did not move. Every effort to hold him, to touch him, sucked her back. And all the while Vera taunted in her ear._

 _"_ _It's your choice Anna."_

 _"_ _No!"_

* * *

"Anna?"

"NO!"

"Anna! Anna! Anna wake up."

She opened her eyes and tried to wrestle herself free from the constriction of her sheets. John helped untangle her and went to hold her but Anna shied away, almost falling over the edge of the bed. They shuffled and moved until they were facing one another at opposite ends of the bed with ample space between them.

"You were calling out in your sleep again."

"Sorry." Anna pushed her hair back, checking the clock, and then pushing through the blankets. "I should get up and-"

"And do what? Pace around the sitting room for a few hours? Doze on the sofa before you put a crick in your neck or scream yourself awake there too?" John shook his head. "You can't go on like this Anna."

"I managed alright on my own before and I was getting less sleep then."

"You hadn't witnessed a massacre then." John sighed, "Just tell me what I can do to help you."

"There's nothing you can do."

"There's got to be something I can do. I'm not incapable and-"

"You can leave." Anna forced herself off the bed, holding tightly to her arms and wrapping them over her torso as if she could become a constrictor. "You can leave and find a better life somewhere else."

"What?" John pushed out of the bed, coming around it to stand near Anna but she backed away. "Did I do something?"

"You came here, John, and now you need to leave."

John's face wagered emotions from grief, to confusion, to angry, and finally to sorrow. "You want me to go?"

"We live together, we work together… we're too close to each other and sometimes it's too much."

"I can move back to the B&B and-"

"I think you should leave town." Anna nodded, as if to reassure herself. "It's the safest place for you and probably the best thing for me so we'll-"

"No." Anna blinked and stared at John. "It's not the 'best thing for you' and we both know that's bullshit."

"I don't know what-"

"No," John wagged a finger at her. "You pulled this before so don't think I'm dumb enough to fall for it again. You tried to get me to leave town once because of Vera and I've got the sinking feeling you're doing it again now."

"And if I am?"

"Then I'll remind you that my perspective, where my ex-wife is concerned, is that she can go to hell and get stuffed for all I care."

"This isn't just some psycho ex coming back to town to ruin your life." Anna threw out a hand. "You saw what she did to Alex's chest."

"And I know what she told you, unless you lied about that."

"No," Anna shook her head, hugging herself again, "I didn't lie."

"Then as long as you keep your end of her bargain then-"

"I didn't tell the full truth." Anna raised her head, John's mouth still half-open. "She told me that I've got a choice. A choice because this whole thing was a trap, from the beginning, with me as the bait for you."

"You as the bait for… From the beginning?"

Anna nodded, "She said I could either break your heart so badly you leave and never come back or I could live with the knowledge that one day she'll take you from me all the same."

"That's what she told you?"

"She's as good as her word John, always has been."

"Always will be." John put a hand through his hair. "Bitch."

"We can't fight her, John."

"Not with that attitude."

"Not with any attitude." Anna huffed, "Sod it, you don't know this woman like I do."

"No, I don't."

"Then listen to me."

"Because you know the version of her with access to deals she makes with the devil?" John shook his head, "Vera will always be Vera. She wants what she can't have, wants me to be miserable like her or miserable with her and nothing else, and believes there's nothing else better in this world than ruining someone's day. Those are the qualities that would've called every spawn of Satan to her and that's the reason why we can beat her."

"She owns me."

"She owns less of you every day, Anna." John finally crossed the distance and took Anna's hands. "She's not your warden or your keymaster, you are."

"I can't-"

"Anna," John put his hands on her cheeks. "We are the masters of our fate. Not her, not the devil, not anyone but us."

Anna buried her head in his chest. "I don't want to lose you to her."

"You won't." John brushed over her hair. "You'll never lose me."

Anna hugged him as tightly as she could and finally cried. He helped them back to bed, tucking them together and holding her close until she relaxed in his arms. But he continued to hold her until they both fell asleep.


	18. Gotta Move

"I've an idea." Anna looked up, chewing the lettuce almost caught in her teeth as Gwen took the seat on the other side of the table. "And I need your approval."

"If this is about your request for holiday I already approved it." Anna flexed jaw to get bits of crouton from behind her teeth. "We're shutting down for most of those days anyway since we're doing well enough to give everyone some holiday."

"And I think that's a great idea but we need a holiday party." Anna raised her eyebrows so Gwen hurried to continue. "Not for Christmas but for the New Year. In the past we've been open and popped from crackers and had some sparkles and everything but we need something real this time around."

"Because people getting drunk here want to wish glitter out of their drinks?"

"Then we don't use the herpes of the art world. We get sparkly confetti or something." Gwen thrust her lower lip forward, "Don't make me beg you. It'll only get worse."

"I can imagine." Anna finished her food and pushed the plate to the side. "Other than the party, what's your theme and your deal for the night? How do we get people in here to celebrate with us instead of drinking at home?"

"Other than the crowd we already get?"

"I'd rather branch out from the group readying their doomsday bunkers, yes." Anna sat back in the chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "What've you got to make your party better than someone's living room?"

"Company."

"Some people want to drink alone."

"Food."

"There are microwaves."

Gwen pursed her lips, tapping the table in cadence a moment before risking a cringing grin. "You."

Anna frowned, "I'm here every night Gwen."

"But you're not usually singing every night, are you?"

"Oh no." Anna grabbed her things and pushed away from the table, dropping her plate in the plastic bin on the counter as Alfred and the newest member of their staff cleared up from the lunch rush. "I don't know where you got that idea but you can kill and drag the body back where it belongs."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't sing."

"John says differently."

Anna stopped at the doors to the kitchen and turned to narrow her eyes at Gwen. "Excuse me?"

"He told me, the first night he played, that you were cleaning up and singing along to Uncle Lucius." Gwen shrugged, "He said you were pretty good."

"Uncle Lucius's rendition of _Keep the Wolves Away_ isn't exactly a difficult piece."

"Then we find something you could sing with him as a duet." Gwen followed Anna through the kitchen. "Like John and June Cash. It'll be gorgeous."

"You're forgetting that I don't sing."

"But you do."

"Not enough to put me as a headline." Anna pivoted, facing Gwen. "Find someone else to sing that night or something else but, whatever you do, don't put my name on anything related to a performance. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Gwen put her hands up in surrender. "Thought you might've been willing to give for the cause."

"Not giving that." Anna entered her office and closed the door slowly at the sight of the man sitting in her chair. "I don't remember us having a meeting. Or inviting you here."

"You didn't." Carlisle glowered at the chair. "The back support on this is rather abysmal, isn't it."

"Not everyone can afford to pay for nice things." Anna gestured around them with her hand. "All of my money goes right back into this bar like a perpetual energy machine."

"Or a black hole."

"Po-ta-toe, po-tah-toe." Anna crossed her arms over her chest. "Is there a reason you're in my chair?"

"I'm here about Alex Green."

"This doesn't look like the county morgue." Anna pulled out her phone, rotating it back and forth. "If you want to ring them about a viewing I'm sure they'll oblige you."

"How very clever of you."

"How much I don't care." Anna slipped her phone back into her pocket. "Alex Green is dead. With a sodding big hole through his chest so there's no way that's faked."

"I heard it happened right in front of you."

"I had to throw out my clothes." Anna flapped her hands for Carlisle to move from her seat but when he did not, she sat on the edge of her desk. "It's something they don't tell you about blood that every woman learns pretty early, it never quite gets out of your clothes."

"Must've been some experience."

"I'm not one for gore really." Anna let her shoulders relax. "What do you really want from me, Mr. Carlisle?"

"The same thing I wanted the last time." He finally stood, hands slipping into his trouser pockets and trying to look down on Anna as he loomed over her. "Alex Green and a way to buy this bar."

"And, as I told you, I'm not selling and Alex Green's dead."

"You really believe that?"

"I saw it with my own eyes and the person who did it's really not the kind to miss her mark, if you know what I mean."

"Then a sniper got to him." Carlisle snorted, "Must've pissed off someone very impressive to get a skilled hitman."

"It wasn't a sniper, but all the same he did piss off someone he would've done better to just leave the hell alone." Anna sighed, "I'm sure, in your line of work, Vera's mentioned her latest kill to you."

"Vera and I are…" Carlisle traced his finger along Anna's desk. "Not speaking."

"At the moment or forever?"

"I hope it's only temporary but you never know with Vera." Carlisle shrugged, "She can be petulant, in her own way."

"You mean she likes having her own way." Anna got off the desk and slipped between it and Carlisle to take back her chair. "I guess we all make the bed we're bound to lie in."

"And what if you wanted to lie in a different bed, Ms. Smith?"

Anna paused, adjusting a paper before tilting her head to meet Carlisle's gaze. "And in this fictional reality, how does one escape the hold of a woman like Vera?"

"Every soul, as I'm sure she's indicated, is of finite worth." Carlisle let his shoulders rise and fall in a noncommittal way. "I'm sure you could ascertain your remaining souls and I could provide the means whereby you escape."

"For a reasonable rate of return on your investment?" Anna shook her head, "Thanks but I'd rather the devil I know. Given how close I am, I won't be signing myself up for another round of deals and payments. When the end of my current terms and conditions expire, I'm moving on with my life."

"But not moving, if I understand you correctly?"

"Why move? I've got a pretty good deal going here and my boyfriend's making his mark as well." Anna leaned back in her chair, "We're pretty happy as we are, Mr. Carlisle, and we really don't see a need to uproot."

"And if the property values should fall, crime rise, and your dear Mr. Bates lose his careful investments within a few short months?" Carlisle put his fingers on the desk, pressing lightly. "What then?"

"I've been close to poverty before, Mr. Carlisle, and I survived. It's not something I've overly anxious to try again but I'm not afraid of it."

"Would Mr. Bates be afraid of it?"

"I doubt Mr. Bates fears much of anything." Anna stood from her seat. "If that's all then I'm sure you've got a drug cartel to run or something."

"I've certainly got interests cooking." Carlisle dipped his head toward her. "I'm sure we'll speak again soon."

"You know," Anna called to him as he reached the door, "They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result."

"Or else I'm persistent."

"Or you're just not used to the word 'no'."

"Perhaps, in my line of work, I find that 'no' can so often be changed to a 'yes' when the right pressure is applied."

"To the joint in question or with a stick?" Anna waited but Carlisle only snorted his laugh.

"You're not afraid of very much, are you Ms. Smith?"

"Not of you, if that's the core of your question."

"Then, tell me," He came back toward her, so the desk stood between them. "If I were to apply pressure to you, would you tell me exactly how Alex Green managed to kill three of my men in the middle of the street with a lamp?"

"I honestly couldn't tell you." Anna shook her head. "He blew through the door to my flat like it was tissue paper and then broke the lamp. That's all I really know and I was there. I saw him… I saw him kill those men and I don't know how he did it."

"He didn't tell you?"

"He came to me, raving like a madman, thinking I'd get back together with him."

"Which you didn't."

"I wouldn't go back to him had he been the last man on earth and we were the only options for breeding a new generation of humankind." Anna shivered, "He told me he'd learned Vera's methods, tapped into her progress, and made a deal with someone to get around her."

"Vera must not've liked that."

"Of that I think we're both sure." Anna straightened, "Whatever Alex Green to get himself the power that had him taking your men on like a practiced stuntman, it's not from anyone or anything I'd want to meet in broad daylight, much less a dark alley."

"And that's all you know?"

"The dip into the dark side I've already taken is more than enough for me. I don't need to know about the monsters that lurk in the shallows."

Carlisle made a face, "And Vera's never threatened you with them?"

"She never needed to." Anna faked a salute, "I'm a good soldier and I know what I'm supposed to do."

"You do it well." Carlisle scoffed, "In other circumstances I'd be in awe of your loyalty, Ms. Smith."

"Not in this one?"

"Surely you've got to know that she'll never let you go."

"The thought's crossed my mind."

"And you know what she's after."

Anna narrowed her eyes, "What do you think she's after, Mr. Carlisle?"

"I think, Ms. Smith, she's after that precious boyfriend you're so determined to keep." Carlisle put a hand to his hair, adjusting it carefully. "At a distance, mind you, but you want him for yourself."

"Don't we all want to keep those who make us happy and love us unconditionally?"

"I'm sure, for the most part, we're not worried that a demon from Hell might slip up and take them from us."

"What would you know about that?"

"Enough to tell me that she's had her hooks in him for a very long time and she's not about to release him because he fell in love." Carlisle looked around the office, "I guess, once the reality of that sets in for you, it'll be too late for you to do anything about it."

"So you'll be what, our ticket of leave?"

"I intend to be your lifeline, Ms. Smith." Carlisle extended a hand to her and Anna stared at it. "Don't miss out on the chance to be free the way you wish you already were."

Anna narrowed her eyes a moment before shaking her head slowly but firmly. "I appreciate the offer but I'll have to decline."

"You'll be making a mistake."

"I don't think so." Anna squared her shoulders, "The last time I shook someone's hand to close a deal that was supposed to 'free me' cost me my soul. I'll not make that mistake again."

"Your mistake is rejecting this offer, as it won't come again."

"My mistake, Mr. Carlisle, was made a long time ago. Since the payments on it aren't finished, I think I'll worry about that line of credit before taking another one." Anna let her lips twitch as if she might smile. "You shouldn't pay off one credit card with another."

Carlisle's lip twitched and a muscle in his jaw flexed. But he took a deep breath and nodded. "If that's your final answer."

"We're not on a game show."

"Then stop acting as if this is a game, Ms. Smith." Carlisle hissed at her and Anna recoiled slightly. "She will not let you go until she's bled every drop from you and taken everything she can."

"Then why do you still work with her?"

"Because we're not all lucky enough to have our moral high ground."

"Berate me for it all you like, the actions of the desperate aren't often understood by the actions of the calculating."

"Just as you don't understand the actions of the depraved and determined." Carlisle pointed a finger so it jutted in her face. "Don't make the mistake of thinking you understand in the least what she'll do to ruin you so she gets what she wants."

"I just have to remember what she did to Alex to know that there's not much else I could do but obey her." Anna hit her chest with the flat of her hand, "I don't want a hole in my chest."

"And what about the hole in your heart?" Carlisle turned to the door. "You're making a mistake."

"There's no mistake in fighting for your future."

"And are you fighting?"

"there are many ways to fight, Mr. Carlisle." Anna opened her hand toward the door. "I just won't be fighting on your side."

"You're a fool."

"And you're a coward but we'll both survive." Anna nodded at him, "Good afternoon."

Carlisle opened the door and yanked it shut again. Anna jumped at the slam before putting her hands on the desk. She patted the surface before taking her seat again. Pulling papers toward her, she set to work.

When Anna locked the doors for the night, taking her trip through the early hours of the morning to the flat, she sighed in relief at the sounds of someone moving about inside. Before her key could entered the lock, John threw the door open and grinned at her. "I've got it."

"Got what?"

"I got us the place where we're staying for Christmas." John tugged her through the door and closed it behind her to help Anna sit down at the little kitchen table. "It's a tiny little place that this couple from California bought but want to rent out until they retire."

"Until they retire?"

"It's an investment property for them." John waved a hand, "They were ecstatic about the chance to get someone in it so soon since they only just bought it."

"But why'd they buy it now if they're not retired?"

"Because they live in California and because it's so expensive they wanted another place they could retire that wouldn't destroy their life savings in less than a year." John flipped his laptop around to show her the pictures and stood back with a smile on his face. "What do you think?"

Anna leaned forward, dropping her bag on the chair next to her so she could take her fingers delicately to the arrows and flip through them. Her eyebrows rose occasionally with the photos until they returned back to the start. Then she sat back and turned to John. "It looks a little big for the two of us."

"There's just the two of them."

Anna shrugged, "I guess that's true." She rubbed a hand over her face and picked over a few more of the photographs. "If it's what you want then I've no argument."

"But is it what you want?"

"Honestly?" Anna reached over, taking John's hands, "I want to just spend Christmas with you and wherever that is will be fine."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure." Anna let her fingers trace over his. "Could I ask you a question that might… kill the mood?"

"What is it?"

"If Vera doesn't let us go, what'll we do?"

John's brow furrowed, "I don't understand the question."

"My personal relationship with God and my chances at Heaven aside," Anna drew her fingers over John's hand, "What'll we do if we can't get away from her?"

"You think she won't?"

"I had a visit today, from Mr. Carlisle, that suggested as much."

"You know that man's a snake. He wants something and he'll do whatever's necessary to get it."

"I know that he's convinced there's more to this than Vera simply being alright with the fact that I might one day earn back the rest of my soul." Anna sighed, "I doubt she put her hand through Alex Green's chest just as a warning of betrayal and she wouldn't have gone to the trouble of telling me I've got to choose between giving you up and watching her take you from me."

"You think she's just playing with us?"

"You know her better than me." Anna kept her fingers intertwined with John's. "I only know her in the context of the situation in which we find ourselves. I don't know what she was before or if she-"

"She won't give up easily." John tightened his grip on Anna's hand. "She'll get what she wants or she'll ruin us and be happy with the reality that she made us miserable."

"What'll we do then?"

"We're going to find a way." John leaned over the table, kissing her forehead. "We're going to do it together and in that we'll find success."

"You seem very confident." Anna shook her head, closing her eyes to hold herself close to him. "Do you never doubt?"

"No."

"Not even for a minute?" Anna opened her eyes, looking up at John. "I wouldn't blame you."

"No." John smiled at her, his fingers stroking over her face. "And before you ask, I don't doubt that the sun'll rise in the east either."

Anna stood, taking his hand, and tugging John toward the bedroom. She kept their hands together as they entered the darkness of the room and drew him close to her. When he tried to speak she put a finger over his lips and shook her head. With his nod of agreement, Anna continued.

She unbuttoned his shirt slowly, exposing him to her, and lifted her head enough to take his lips with hers. He submitted to her, dropping the shirt to the floor as she let her hands and lips run over his chest. Each time he made a noise she followed it until there was nothing but the echoes of the vibration in his chest.

The noises of his belt buckle opening or his trousers hitting the floor were nothing to her. Nothing distracted her as she removed her clothes and positioned John on the bed. His hands remained passive, as if waiting for her signal to start, and when she put his hands on her he did.

Their motions stayed slow, easy, and familiar as they smoothed and glided over one another. Anna leaned over him, their lips meeting again as his fingers teased around her hips and threatened to move lower. But she pulled away from his reach, sliding up his body to turn them so he hovered over her now. And with her nod, their eyes never leaving one another, he ran his lips down her body.

Anna hitched, bringing one of her legs to bend at the knee while her other leg spread to allow John to kiss lower. His tongue danced over her nerves and played there as his fingers carefully and dedicatedly opened her to his explorations. Soon her hands grabbed onto the blankets of their bed and clutched at them for support with each sweep of his tongue over her.

She finished with a soft gasp, loosening her hold on the wrinkled and mangled sheets, to urge John back toward her. He came when she bid him, crawling slowly over her to kiss and caress her skin to leave her writhing beneath him again. Her hands gripped at his arms and the back of his neck to bring his mouth to hers again while her leg hooked over his hip. Pausing, their kiss breaking slowly, John watched her face for a signal.

With a nod, Anna gave it.

He thrust forward, joining them in a single motion, and held still. Held until Anna lifted her hips and adjusted them to move him deeper. And so the dance began as they shifted and moved with and through one another. Each of their maneuvers carefully calculated to bring them to the edge and hold until the next wave could take them higher.

Coming first, her face pressed to John's neck while her fingers trembled and shook against his skin, Anna held tightly as John increased speed. The steady rhythm of his drives matched the swift thud of her heart until his heavy exhale matched his finish. Neither let go of the other, holding steady as they adjusted on the bed, and only drifted together in a doze as the sky turned gray outside their window.

Anna blinked herself away when John moved. His chest rose and fell slowly, face turned away from her into the pillow while his arm stretched out above her head. She smiled, letting her fingers drag slowly over his skin to watch him twitch and jerk with barely a notation of it in his sleep.

Their skin stuck together, even with as chill as the temperature outside became this close to Christmas, and Anna blinked at the stickiness to her own skin. Carefully shifting out from the tangle of their sheets, she padded down the hall to the bathroom and turned on the shower. With the door open the bathroom did not fog as Anna stepped under the stream to relax in the rush of water.

The sound of the water beating against the plastic molding prevented her noticing another presence until John's hands wrapped around her. She sank into his hold, closing her eyes to enjoy his touch as he lathered her skin with body wash, and sighed at the gentle massage. A massage that quickly increased her body temperature when his fingers played particular care to her breasts and her folds.

Her hands held onto the shower wall, sliding on the slick surface as she pressed her body into his hands. Hands that soon molded and shaped at her ass before sneaking back to her folds to taunt and rub at her nerves. Anna's forehead rested against the wall of the shower, hoping the plastic might be cool enough to bring down the raging inferno inside her but nothing soothed her as she crashed over the edge.

Taking no regard for her dignity, not that she had much left after his unwavering attentions, Anna thrust her ass toward him. His hiss accompanied the sensation of his erection running along the seam of her ass and when Anna persisted to stroke him, it came as no surprise when he grabbed her hips. Their legs shuffled and slipped on the wet floor of the shower but when Anna expected John to thrust forward she could only keen as he ran himself along her. Slowly, exquisitely, and teasingly until he finally entered her.

The earlier patience of the evening was lost in the thunder and pummel of the water. Raining down on them from the spritzing head, the water added friction to their bodies while the still running soap slicked their motions. Anna closed her eyes, blocking the water and the images of the boring white wall in front of her to imagine she could see the way they were together.

To watch him work into her as his lips tracked and traced over her back and shoulders. To enjoy the view as his fingers ran over her spine to send shivers rippling over it before disappearing to the front of her body where her breasts rested in his hands or where his fingers could play their favorite beats over her clit. To see the full glory of her ass wedged between his hips as they moved together.

And then it was over.

In a glorious rush John's forehead rested on her shoulder and he kissed the skin within reach. Anna brushed her wet hair from her eyes, turning as they separated, and ran a hand through his hair to send it into temporary spikes before the water flattened it again. "You didn't have to get up."

"My beautiful girlfriend left the bed. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Get some sleep." Anna blinked against the water before letting her hands trace over him. "You need rest."

"So do you."

"I was coming right back."

"Now we'll both be right back." John's hand reached for the knob but Anna stopped him.

When he went to frown she kiss him, her hand snaking between them to hold the beginnings of a new arousal. "Let me."

Her knees complained about the surface and the physics of the matter threatened to topple them both, but Anna persisted. Running her mouth over him, she rained kisses to match the water running over his body, and occasionally licked over the taste of them both before the shower could rinse it all away. He huffed and panted above her, arms straining as he used pressure to hold himself steady above her since the simple shower lacked the handholds he might prefer. But Anna continued to coax and ease him forward until his hips acted of their own accord.

As her tongue flirted with the taste of him, buried just inside that tempting slit, John urged her up. Anna left a final kiss at his head and rose to wrap her arms around John's shoulders. He lifted her, one leg raised over the one he set onto the side of the tub while the other wrapped his hip, and plunged forward.

They moved together, staring at one another and blinking back water and the urge to close their eyes as their bodies twisted and stretched around one another. After all this time, through all their shared sorrows and griefs, the sliver of eternity they shared in that single moment weighed more than their lives combined. That moment of utter bliss before their bodies realized what was happening.

Tottering over the abyss together, they came. The rush of adrenaline only spiked when, for a moment, Anna thought they might topple right out of the shower. But John regained their balance and put them back on their feet.

In the tight space, and with the rapidly cooling water, they rinsed and worked themselves free of the shower. John wrapped a towel around her shoulders and dried her hair slowly with another as she cared for him in return. They said nothing, their actions soothing and perfunctory until each stood dry enough not to dribble water down the hall.

Then, with their hands intertwined, they crawled under the sheets together and fell back asleep.


	19. Run Out

Anna massaged her temples and lay back on the table. The paper crinkled under her and she huffed a sigh. Her eyes closed and she tried to relax as her legs dangled off the edge of the bed but the moment the door opened she sat up in a hurry and pulled her gown closed.

"Good morning Ms. Smith, I'm Doctor Ryder." The man sat down on the stool, rolling closer to her as the nurse stood to the side. "I hope we're not spoiling any of your holiday plans."

"No, I was actually really lucky you let me sneak this in before Christmas." Anna pulled at the end of the gown. "I was worried I'd have to reschedule for after the New Year."

"Well we had a cancellation and were more than happy to fit you in." He took the clipboard from the nurse. "You told the nurse you were experiencing irregular periods?"

"Actually it's a bit more like no periods." Anna twisted the hem of the gown and then dropped it in a hurry, choosing to tug on her fingers instead. "I haven't had one in a few months and I'm worried that it might mean something else."

"Because of your injury?" The doctor focused on the clipboard again before frowning. "Which gynecologist did you visit after you finished your physical therapy?"

"The doctor I had at the time advised me that I should expect irregular periods but to take note if they stopped coming entirely." Anna dropped her fingers to hold the bench under her. "Since I haven't had one in awhile I thought-"

"No need to worry." He handed the clipboard back. "We'll just give you a quick scan and then you can get to your holiday."

"Great." Anna tipped herself back onto the table and carefully positioned her feet in the stirrups.

"I promise, Ms. Smith, it is alright." He put his gloved hand over hers and Anna met his eyes. "It's just a check and since we don't know that there are any problems then we can just assume, for the moment, that nothing's wrong until we know otherwise."

"Right." She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, trying to breathe normally as gloved fingers prodded at her.

"Nurse?" Anna's eyes opened but she suppressed her urge to sit up. "Could you grab the ultrasound for me?"

"Why do you-"

"I just want to be sure about something." Doctor Ryder rolled back a moment and came around the side of the table. "Would you mind if I just opened this gown at the stomach?"

Anna shook her head as the nurse entered with the ultrasound and Doctor Ryder opened her gown before reaching for the gel. She tensed but the gel hit her skin and she shivered as it landed warm on her. "It's not-"

"Cold?" Doctor Ryder nodded with a little laugh, "Someone finally invented a little heater we put under the holder right here. Keeps the gel about the temperature of body heat so you don't have to be cold and uncomfortable."

He selected one of the two scanners and moved it in the gel to spread over Anna's skin. She craned her head to try and see the screen but all she noted were shades of shifting gray and occasional sections of black. Doctor Ryder made a sound before he switched scanners.

"Ms. Smith, what did your doctors say after your injury?"

"They said that with my ovary gown and the bullet puncturing my uterus there was little chance that I'd ever get pregnant." Anna shrugged, "Made life a little easier in a way."

"Well I don't mean to disrespect your doctors, as I think they must've done an incredible job sewing you back together, but they're wrong." Doctor Ryder adjusted the screen and tapped it. "Because that's your baby, Ms. Smith."

"My what?" Anna almost sat up as she gaped at the grayish screen.

"That is a head, those are legs, and that is an arm." Doctor Ryder smiled at her. "I do hope I won't be in the wrong if I wish you heartfelt congratulations."

"Congratulations are fine." Anna took a deep breath, moving a shaking hand to her mouth. "I just… I never thought I'd see… Never thought I'd get…"

"There's a reason they call them bundles of joy." Doctor Ryder hit a few buttons, adjusting his scanner a few more times and then collected the photographs to hand over to Anna. "For you. And the father, if you're telling him."

"He'll know." Anna collected the photographs, tracing the outline of the child growing inside her. "It'll be his Christmas present."

"Perfect." Doctor Ryder handed over a rag. "Then we'll just let you get sorted and schedule you for another checkup after the New Year. We'll need to keep a closer eye on you since your condition is a bit more delicate."

"Right." Anna wiped herself with the rag and sat up, her legs dangling between the still erect stirrups.

"But not to worry Ms. Smith," Doctor Ryder's bare hand rested on hers, "Medical advances have come a long way and I think you'll deliver a perfectly healthy baby. We'll make it happen."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." He stood up, "There's still another six months before you're delivering and I haven't proven my worth yet."

"I'm three months along?"

"Based on size I'd guess about that far." He whistled, "Summer baby'll be difficult in this heat and humidity since you'll have a heater strapped around your middle but it'll be worth it."

"It already is." Anna dragged her hand over her abdomen as she looked at the photos in her hand. "It already is."

She hardly let the photographs go. They clutched tightly in her hand all day, they rested in a coveted place in her bag, and one immediately took up residence in her wallet. One tucked into the corner of her computer and her eyes continually drifted toward it instead of her work throughout the day. And when she left the office for the day she tucked all the pictures back into her handbag to keep them close.

John had their car all packed by the time she got home and he gave her the front seat once she changed and finished her own packing. The photographs still rested in her bag and throughout their drive her hands would drift toward them but the conversation always steered away in the moments when she finally worked up the nerve to bring them up. And when they pulled up to the condo she had no words.

Christmas lights strung over the windows and a few yard decorations tried to keep the spirit of the season while warm wind still blew toward them and holidayers from up north walked around in shorts and tee-shirts. Anna let out a laugh at their view of the Gulf and their access to the beach before helping John grab their things from the car. Her bag stayed around her and one of her hands constantly running over the edges of the photographs.

An eternity could have passed between their arrival and when they finally settled into their rental. Anna stretched out on the sofa, her feet on the ottoman, with John's head in her lap as he read aloud. She took in none of what he said, her thoughts on the photographs still in her purse, and when he took a breath she interrupted him.

"I'm pregnant."

John blinked, lowering the book to his chest, and tipped his head back to stare at her. "Sorry?"

"I've been debating all day on how to tell you and yet I don't know how to let you know since there's no good way to tell someone you're pregnant when you've not been trying." John sat up, setting the book to the side but keeping his back to her. Anna reached out a hand, running over his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"You're…" John twisted, his feet hitting the floor, and turned to her. "You're pregnant?"

"I went to the gynecologist this morning and-"

"Because your periods stopped?"

Anna blinked at him, "You noticed?"

"I noticed when you weren't putting feminine hygiene products on the grocery list." John reached out a hand, taking hers from his shoulder to kiss. "Did you think you were-"

"No," Anna shook her head, twisting her fingers with his. "I thought it might be something else wrong with me because of…"

"Because of what happened." John kissed her hand again. "But everything's fine?"

"As evidenced by the baby I'm having."

"So you want to have it?"

"I-" Anna stopped, "Would you want me not to have-"

"That's not what I said or what I meant." John stopped her, covering her hand with his other one. "I just wanted to make sure this is what you want since everything in our lives is so unpredictable. I didn't want you to feel obligated or-"

"I don't feel obligated." Anna reached over the sofa to dig the photos out of her bag and show them to John. "I felt nothing but joy when I saw these."

She passed them over and watched how John studied each and every photograph. "I guess the question now is-"

"Will you marry me?" John raised his head and Anna's mouth fell open.

"What?"

"Will you marry me?"

"Are you only asking that because I'm pregnant?"

"No." John put the photos down and hurried into the bedroom before returning with a box. "I planned this whole holiday so I could get you away from everything and propose to you."

He opened the box and took a knee in front of her on the sofa. "You just surprised me I guess."

"You were already going to propose?" Anna put a hand to her mouth, the other one stroking gently over the ring. "I didn't want to force you into anything because you've got plans and-"

"Not anymore." John shook his head, "This is the most important thing in my life."

Anna smiled at him, wiping at a few stray tears. "I'm sorry I ruined your proposal."

"It's not ruined, just sooner than I planned."

"But all the work you must've put in for it."

"Will be used to celebrate instead." John cringed, "Although we'll have to abstain from the champagne… for obvious reasons."

"Obvious huh?" Anna pulled her shirt up, "I don't know if I can tell."

"We will before we know it." John put his hand there, fingers stroking gently. "All that matters, right now, is that I'm here with you."

Anna put her hands over his, sniffing back her tears. "We're having a baby."

"Yes we are."

"I never…" She stopped, her voice catching as John hurried to her side to hold her but leaving the ring box on the ottoman. "I didn't think I'd ever have children. I didn't think I'd get the chance because of what happened. I thought life wouldn't let me have something like this but now-"

"Life finally cut you a break?" John kissed her head, "We're pregnant."

"We're pregnant." Anna tipped her head up, smiling into the kiss John put on her lips. "I love you."

"And I love you." John grinned, moving the photographs next to the ring box before holding Anna's face in his hands to kiss her again. "Could I suggest we move on to the part of my elaborate proposal that doesn't need as much prep time?"

"And what part would that be?"

"The part where I take you to bed and ravish you until neither of us can move."

"I like that idea."

"Good." John bent to lift Anna into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. "Because I had some very detailed plans."

"Really?" Anna giggled as her back hit the bed and John loomed over her. "Do tell Mr. Bates."

"First, I was going to slip the ring onto your finger but we'll skip that part for now." John kissed her ring finger instead, moving up her arm to nuzzle and suck at her throat. "I'll do it tomorrow when we arrange the whole situation like the real proposal."

"Now that you know the answer'll be 'yes'?"

"The soft opening was rather effective."

"Pretty sure you knew it had to be yes when I'm carrying your child."

John paused, lifting her shirt to kiss along his abdomen. "Yes you are. Our child. Our little miracle."

Anna adjusted to hold John's face in her hands. "You're my miracle."

"And you're mine." John kissed her, his fingers pushing up her shirt to expose her to him before helping her strip it over her head. "Now, I'd like to get onto the part of the evening where I ravish you."

"It's afternoon."

"There was a whole script. I had it planned for Christmas Eve." John tutted at her, fingers digging into her jeans to pull them off her legs and then leave her knickers in a pile atop them. "I can't break character now."

"Then please continue." Anna lay back, laying until she could only cry out as John sucked her breasts and his fingers dipped between her folds. "Oh shit!"

"That's just the beginning."

He continued, dragging her to the edge and leaving her there before continuing to adore her with every movement and kiss. When Anna could barely hold onto her sanity, John stepped back and removed his clothes. With her laying on the edge of the bed, her boneless legs draped over the edge, John stepped forward and entered her in a second.

That was all it took. Anna shook and writhed against him but he did not stop there. His position allowed him to move with ease so he drew to the very edge and thrust back in to bring Anna's sparking nerves to life again. Every motion dragged her from the depths to encourage her to find her pleasure again. And when his lips met hers in time with his increase in pace, Anna tilted her hips and went over the edge again.

His hands grabbed her hips and lifted Anna into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, legs tightening around his hips, and held steady as her back impacted on the wall. Snorting a laugh, Anna noticed John staring at her as he waited to move.

"I just hope we don't do any damage we'd have a time explaining to the owners."

"I'll treat you with care." John brushed the hair back from her face and ground into her. "Trust me."

"How could I not?" Anna's head rolled back, her neck arching and giving John access to it while his fingers snaked between them to press and rub at her.

They rolled and gyrated together until Anna could only pant and keen at the sensations John brought to the fore again. Her lips found his neck, kissing up toward his jaw as he increased his pace inside her. And when he hit the deepest spot inside her, his fingers working in tandem to send her toward another climax, Anna groaned out her tingling climax.

Anna's legs almost went to jelly, but John lowered her carefully to the floor. She smiled, sighing at the sensation, and then frowned when she noticed John had yet to finish. But before she could say anything John spun her around so her back was to his chest.

"It's going to be wonderful Anna." He whispered to her, hands massaging at her breasts and occasionally caressing her abdomen. "We're having a baby."

"Yes." She let her head rest on his chest and her fingers dance up his thighs as she reached back toward him.

"We're going to build a life together." John nudged her legs apart and tipped Anna forward enough to put her hands on the bed. "We're going to get married."

"Yes."

"We're going to find a house and find happiness every day." John thrust forward, his fingers gripping at her hips, and moved inside her with care. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life making you happy."

"I'm already happy." Anna turned over her shoulder and John bent over to kiss her. "I'm so happy."

"I hope so." John kissed down the line of her spine as his thrusts continued. "Because I love you with my whole soul, Anna, and I want you to be happy."

She groaned through another gentle climax and caught one of John's hands. With a twist and pivot, she got him on the bed and mounted him. His mouth found her breasts again, trading places between them and her mouth as Anna rode him as gently as she could manage until neither one of them could take the speed any longer. They moved faster and faster until John finally broke.

Anna followed him soon after, caught up in the ecstasy of his expression and care toward her. They fell onto the bed, both breathing hard, and Anna could only expend her residual energy with a laugh. John turned to her, the back of his finger tracing over her cheek, and smiled.

"What?"

"We're going to need to change these sheets."

"I would think so." John nestled into the duvet under them. "Do you think we're the first people to sleep in this bed?"

"I don't think what we just did counts as sleeping."

"Okay, the first ones to have sex in this bed?" John turned to her, "What'd you think?"

"Definitely a possibility." Anna rested on his chest and turned her head to look at him as his fingers ran through her hair. "Were you going through some kind of record there?"

"What?"

"Seeing how long you could last when you sent me into…" Anna tallied them, "Five orgasms?"

"I was rather impressed with myself." John grinned, "Why, is it a record?"

"My personal best."

"Mine too, in terms of endurance."

Anna leaned forward to kiss him quickly before returning to laying on his chest. "Is this because I told you I'm pregnant?"

"It might explain my enthusiasm." He ran his hand down to her abdomen. "We've not the baby or anything have we?"

"Why'd you ask?"

"We were a bit…"

"Athletic?"

"Vigorous."

Anna laughed, "The baby's fine."

"You're sure?"

"It's like the size of a grapefruit so I don't even think it feels anything."

"Well I'll feel it if I fall asleep in this position." John sat up, forcing Anna off him. "Want to test out their Jacuzzi?"

Anna nodded and dragged John toward the bathroom.

They woke up late on Christmas Eve, exhausted and enjoying the comfort of a quality mattress covered in sheets with a thread count higher than their own. But when they finally worked themselves out of bed, John surprised Anna with his itinerary for the day. One he delivered with a grin.

"A scavenger hunt?" Anna held the paper in her hand as John served her bagels. "That was your elaborate proposal?"

"Did you expect a picnic on the beach and some candlelight?" John shook his head. "It'd only be mosquitos and the chance of getting eaten by an alligator so I chose something a little bit safer."

"And we're doing this?"

"Considering I designed it using Google Maps and therefore have no idea if it's even right, it'd be rather shit of me as your boyfriend and prospective fiancé to leave you to do it alone."

Anna grinned at him, "I'd best get ready then."

And so it went. They crawled through the large shopping mall to find the items on John's shopping list for the dinner that consisted of little snacks that all resembled slightly cheaper versions of more complex meals. But they laughed through the list and continued to the boutique stores where they bought the accessories for their fancy dinner.

By the time evening rolled around they sat across from one another on the deck of the condo, dressed to the relative nines, and sharing glasses of sparkling cinder with their meal between them. A meal they took turns feeding one another and dipping into more ridiculous sauces until they decided they could not continue. The whole adventure leaving Anna laughing louder and longer and better than she had in years.

When the sun set John got on his knee and repeated his action from the day before. The box popped open and Anna presented her finger to him so he could slide it into place. He kissed just above the ring and led Anna back into the condo, leaving their clothing in a trail from the deck to the bedroom.

The bedroom where Anna and John took their turns leaving the other sighing and moaning. But when John rose above Anna, her legs holding onto his hips, he waited. "Will you marry me Anna?"

"Of course." Anna frowned, "I already told you I'd marry you."

"But…" John paused, "No matter what happens I just want you to know that I'll love you forever."

"However, whenever, whatever." Anna pulled his lips to hers and tilted her hips for him to slide home. "I'll love you forever."


	20. In the End We Run

Finished with her turn around the room, Anna nodded. "It looks fantastic Gwen. It really does."

"Thank you." Gwen curtsied. "I'm pleased to have been of service."

"Now you're just being a pill." Anna pushed her hands into her pockets and nodded at Gwen, "How's the future little bruiser?"

"Kicking me at odd hours, denying me Mexican food, and giving me weird cravings." Gwen pulled her arms back, staring at her own abdomen. "Like chips with Italian dressing. Isn't that odd?"

"I get cravings for pickles." Anna said and then stopped, realizing what just escaped her mouth, before hurrying to try and say something else.

But Gwen already caught hold on it. "You're pregnant?"

"Please don't tell anyone."

"Does John know?" Gwen quirked up an eyebrow, "Unless it's not John's and you've had time in between working yourself to the bone here and shagging him senseless to half-heartedly shag someone else."

"I can promise it's John's but please, keep it down?" Anna put her hands on her abdomen a moment before pulling them to her hips. "It's still early days."

"How early?"

"They said I'm about three months along at the checkup."

"Was that before or after John put that ring on your finger?"

"This," Anna held up her hand, "Was a Christmas gift."

"Just that?"

"Apparently he planned the whole thing when he suggested we go away for Christmas." Anna twisted the ring on her finger, "Had a scavenger hunt and everything."

"Did the map of your progress spell out 'will you marry me'?"

"I kind of ruined it when I forced him on one knee the night before after showing him the ultrasound photos." Anna bit back a smile, "He's chomping at the bit for the scan that tells us what the baby is."

"So you can paint a room you don't have in your flat pink or blue?"

"That's in process, at the moment."

"So you're settling?" Gwen pulled Anna to a booth, avoiding the last minute set up by the wait staff. "You're getting a house and everything and making this your home?"

"I did it before."

"And look how that turned out for you." Both women turned their head to see Vera staning at the end of the table. "I do hope you've not put your past so far behind you you've forgotten what it wrought."

"Absolutely not." Anna sighed, "I need to an app on my phone to remind me when the darkest nights of the month are."

"What, you can't smell the sulfur on her?" Gwen snorted, turning to Vera. "Forgot your hoofed shoes or did you just decide to dress fancy because it's a party."

"I see you didn't forget to bring your tongue tonight Ms. Dawson."

"It's Mrs. Harding now."

"My apologies," Vera raised an eyebrow at Gwen's ring. "Take care that I don't rip it out."

"Someone's in a mood." Gwen pushed herself out of the booth. "I'll go make sure everything's ready. Try not to burn the table or anything."

Anna adjusted in the seat as Vera took the one opposite her, her lip twitching as if sitting where Gwen had might rub her the wrong way. They stared at one another a minute until Vera spoke. "I hear congratulations are in order."

"This party does look nice."

"Don't be coy, it doesn't suit you." Vera ran her tongue over her teeth. "John and I never had children so I was always convinced he was deficient, in some way. He performed his martial duties admirably, in some cases with considerable aplomb, but a baby never stuck there."

"He seems like the kind of person who would've taken that to heart."

"He did." Vera snorted, "He was all devastated and tragic about it instead of accepting the inevitable."

"Like you did?"

"What I accepted, Ms. Smith, was the reality." Vera crossed her hands over one another on the table between them. "The reality you'd accepted for yourself until you saw the white shifting shape on that monitor for yourself."

"Sometimes miracles happen."

"Yes, but would you call it a miracle under different circumstances?"

"I don't understand."

"Look around you Anna and tell me that this is what you want for yourself." Vera waved a hand at the bar. "You've given your everything to this place and it limped onward for years. It was noble, and more than a little stupid, but you managed and if I had it in me I'd be impressed."

"But you're not."

"No, because the moment you had the chance to trade it all away, trade away the horrible memories of the man who left you, scarred you, and ruined you here what did you do?" Vera's hand slapped the table and Anna jumped. "You threw it all away for John sodding Bates."

"I couldn't let you have someone like him."

"Someone too good for you and me, was that it?"

"I facilitated the selling of souls. In the eyes of God I'm sure that makes me as bad as you since the mortal law would judge it the same way."

"Leave God out of it. He's often busy and I've not got time to wait around hoping he'll decide to appear."

"Then tell me why it matters that I'm still here."

"Because if you stay then I lose a very dangerous bet and I don't plan to lose." Vera sat straighter, "Give me John and you walk away with everything."

"Everything?"

"You walk away with his money, with your money, with whatever you need to take you and your swelling spawn someone else. You'll get your job in journalism back and your reputation. It'll be as if the last ten years of your life never happened and you'll start anew."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"And if I refuse?"

"I take John anyway and I might take your baby for good measure." Vera pursed her lips, teasing Anna as she feigned cooing at a baby. "Wouldn't it grow up to be such a good little soldier for me?"

"You're not laying a finger on my child."

"That's up to you, isn't it?" Vera slid out of the booth. "Decide Anna, like I told you over Alex Green's body. Either you give me John or your baby is mine. It's a life for a life and your debt, in the middle of it all, is paid."

"To save myself I'd have to make _Sophie's Choice_ is that it?"

"I'm a woman of my word and, in case you forgot Anna, I've been taking souls to balance against yours for a long time now." Vera waited but Anna could not raise her head to look at her. "Choose wisely, the clock's ticking."

"There's a clock now?"

"You've got until midnight."

Anna checked the clock on the far wall and turned to Vera but she vanished as the doors to the bar opened and the party began. A party she only noticed as if in a daze, the music distant and muffled in her ears. She pushed back into her office and closed the door, pressing her body against it as if it might give her some kind of protection from the ticking of a clock now loud and jarring in her ears.

Making it to her chair, she sank into the seat and leaned back. Vera's words rang and rolled about her brain, tumbling and twisting until all she could see and hear were the horrible words and the image of a scale weighing the lives before her. Lives that she saw ending as horribly as her nightmares after Alex's death. One moment it was John joining Vera, like she feared, and the next it was the loss of her child in blood and pain before she even had the chance to meet them.

A knock at the door shocked her from her thoughts and Anna tried to school her voice before answering. "Come in."

"Anna?" John tipped his head through the door and frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Just feeling a little queasy." Anna tried to force her mouth into a smile but it would not stay on her face. "What do you need?"

"I was asked to do a set and I thought I'd ask if you'd come out and watch." John ducked his head, "I know I've done them dozens of times but-"

"Only if you let me sing _Hurts_ with you." Anna ignored the widening of his eyes and way his mouth dropped open from the force of the shock. "It's a crowd favorite and they'll get excited and buy more drinks."

"Are you… If you… Are you sure? Because I want you to be sure and only do it if you want to. I know Gwen had said-"

"I'm sure." Anna got out of her chair, moving around her desk to hold John's hand with hers and clutch it tightly. "I want to share this with you."

"We only sing to one another in the bedroom." John's eyes sparked a moment and Anna kissed him for it. But it went deeper and she scrunched her eyes shut to stop herself crying. When she pulled away John blinked at her. "Is that because you want me to take you to the bedroom?"

"No."

"Then-"

"That, Mr. Bates, was what a woman does when she loves someone and wants to tell him." Anna nodded out the door. "Come on, your rabid fans await."

They worked through the crowd and climbed the small stage to the cheers and drunkenly sloshed drinks. John raised his hand, pulling his guitar over his shoulders, and dipped in front of a mike while Anna adjusted one for herself. He waited for her to nod that she was ready before speaking.

"I'd like to thank you all for choosing this party as a way to celebrate the New Year. May we never put a resolution to drink less on our lists." Cheers greeted his statement and a few whistles echoed through the crowd. Anna caught sight of Vera, standing near the back with a finger tapping at her wrist. "But tonight is special because the woman that I love, and who loves me, has told me she'll join me for one song and it's one of my favorites, so I hope it's one of yours too."

John took his seat on the stool and Anna lowered a microphone to the strings as he dragged another one close to his mouth. " _I hurt myself, today. To see if I still feel._ "

The audience slurred along a bit, cheering when Anna joined in, and slowly quieted as the duet continued between them. Anna kept her eyes on John, singing it to him, while occasionally darting looks toward Gwen and Vera. Gwen had a grin plastered over her face while Vera kept her expression blank but for momentary flicks toward a scowl.

" _What have I become, my sweetest friend? Everyone I know, goes away, in the End._ " Anna scrunched her eyes shut, a tear or two leaking free as she met Vera's eyes. " _Everyone I know, goes away… in the end. And you could have it all, my empire of dirt._ "

She turned to John and he almost stumbled over the chords as she swallowed to continue. " _I will let you down. I will make you hurt. If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself. I would find a way._ "

They finished and Anna smiled once at the crowd before leaving the stage. John, swarmed by requests, could only stare after her. Anna wove through the crowd of congratulations and stood in front of Vera. "Take me instead."

"I think I've made it abundantly clear I don't want you."

"But you don't want John either, that's the thing." Anna scoffed, "You just want everyone miserable because then you think you'd understand why you are but let me explain this to you, you're miserable because you think only of yourself."

"Is that so?"

"I was willing to give John up, multiple times, because I'd rather tear my own heart in two than lose him to you. I'd rather have him hate me forever than try to save him for myself." Anna wiped at her tears. "You're a selfish, heartless bitch so you'll never understand putting the interests of someone else before yourself and you think everyone's just like you."

"They are."

"No," Anna shook her head, "They're not. Which is why you'll get me. You'll leave this bar to Gwen, she can run it better than I can, and you'll not come back here. You'll let John go and you'll stop following him or haunting him or whatever else you want to call it. You'll leave him be and never bother him again."

Vera raised an eyebrow before sipping on her drink. "And what about your baby, Ms. Smith. Surely you're not suggesting on it entering my service with you."

"You'll leave the baby with John. He'll raise it right and you'll not trouble either of them. You let them live their lives and I'll come with you." Anna swallowed hard "I'll be yours, forever if that's what it takes, but let them live and leave them alone."

"Anna?" Gwen and John pushed through the crowd toward her at the same moment, "What's-"

Both stopped, stared at Vera, looked at Anna, blinked at one another, and then took their turns questioning Anna. John went first, his hand on her arm, and pointed at Vera with his other hand. "Are you making a deal with her?"

"She already has a deal with me, as you'll be kind enough to remember Batesy." Vera trilled and sucked the last of her drink dry, handing it to Gwen. "Be a dear and refill."

"Sod off." Gwen put her hand on Anna's other shoulder. "What's going on?"

"I'm trying to protect what I love."

"No," John interrupted, pulling Anna to face him. "Remember what I promised you at Christmas? That I'd love you no matter what?"

"Of course I do."

"Well it's why…"

"Why what?"

"He already sold himself to me." Vera practically cackled, "I didn't think it'd be this much fun watching the three of you tear yourselves apart trying to save one another. It's such an interesting conundrum. Which soul do I choose?"

Anna looked between John and Gwen. "Both of you?"

Gwen hung her head, "I thought you'd be leaving town and I… I could take over from you. Let you start a new life somewhere you'd be happy."

"What about your baby? Your husband?"

"Jay knew the cost and he's willing to help pay it if it helps you."

"Why would you do that?"

"Why would you?" Gwen pointed between Anna, John, and Anna's stomach. "You've got a life ahead of you and you'd throw it away to her?"

"I already did."

"But you've got another chance." John faced Vera, "You leave Anna and Gwen out of this."

"We all make our own decisions Batesy, surely you know that."

"You lied to me."

"I told you the truth you wanted to hear."

Anna clutched at John's shirt. "Don't do it John. Please don't give in to her."

"I promised, Anna. I won't let anything happen to you or the baby."

"But we've got everything to live for now." Anna turned to Gwen, holding her hand as well. "Both of you've got…"

She shook herself, "I know, months ago, I said I had nothing to live for and I thought I didn't but I'm living for you." Her hands cupped John's cheeks. "You gave me life again and I can't let that go. I can't let you go. Please don't do this."

"But it's for you." Gwen interrupted and Anna pivoted back to her.

"Why?"

"Because you've suffered enough and it's time to let the burden go." John answered, taking Anna's hands with his and kissing them. "You've got our little miracle. Cherish that and live your life."

"I can't. Not with you. It won't be life…" Anna's jaw worked independently of her words a moment. "It doesn't have to be for me, either of you. Because I can't…"

She sobbed, wiping back her tears. "I can't lose you to her. You're both what matters most to me in the whole world and I can't lose you both."

"But I won't lose you to her either." Gwen swallowed, "Not when I could do something for someone who always does everything for me."

"And I won't put you or…" John's hand brushed Anna's abdomen. "I won't put either of you in danger."

"Tick, tock, everyone." Vera tapped her wrist again. "The year is ending quickly and I've got to close."

"But…" Anna flustered and then blinked as if a moment of startling clarity hit her with the force of lightning. "You're a woman of your word."

"Sorry?" Vera frowned, "I don't understand."

"You're a woman of your word." Anna pointed at her, "And you won't break your word."

"I'm still not sure what you're-"

"If John and Gwen both sold themselves to you already, then you'd have to abide by their stipulations. But then you accepted my deal, which means you'd have to let them go but you can't because of the deals you already made." Anna looked Vera right in the eye. "I think you've overstepped your bounds."

Vera blinked and swallowed, "And what will you do about it, Ms. Smith?"

"It's not what I have to do about it." Anna sniffed, "I feel like you've got someone else above you who might be more interested in you than me."

"So you think?"

"You did say that if I stay then you lose a very dangerous bet that you don't want to lose." Anna narrowed her eyes and then swept the room to see Carlisle standing in a corner. "Did you make a bet with him?"

"I-" Vera huffed and before any of them could blink, Carlisle stood beside them with a claw-like hand on Vera's shoulder.

"I do believe you bet against the house and lost, Vera." His fingers dug into her shoulder and the scent of burning wafted strongly from the singe marks in her jacket. "Which means that they're souls are all free to go."

"I didn't lose. They all gave me their souls and-"

"And did it for one another, making Ms. Smith's point for her." Carlisle nodded at Anna. "I do apologize for the moment I underestimated you."

"I never make deals with the devil, if I can help it." Anna swallowed, "If that's what you are."

"Not quite, but close." Carlisle looked at Vera. "I think it's time you faced the truth and we went and had a chat with our mutual employer, what do you say?"

"No! Give me another chance. There are souls aplenty here and-"

"I think not."

And with that, they both vanished in a puff of smoke and the smell of sulfur.

John, Anna, and Gwen all stared at one another before jumping at the sound of everyone counting down. Gwen smiled at the two of them and hurried away to find Jay in the crowd. Anna turned to John and buried herself in his chest.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Anna," He held her jaw, forcing her head up. "I'm not."

"But I almost lost you again and-"

"But you didn't." John kissed her, "Life gave us another miracle."

"I had all the miracles I needed when I met you." Anna hugged around him. "I can't… I don't know what to say."

"Just say that you love me and everything'll be alright."

"I love you." Anna kissed him again, "And everything's going to be alright."

"I think that should be the new name for the bar.

Anna frowned, "You want to name the bar 'Everything's Going to Be Alright'?"

"Well, maybe something a little shorter… like 'Alright'."

"We'll just call it 'Everything', because it's everything I need."

"For me too." John held her close, the numbers in single digits now. "5… 4… 3… 2… 1."

"Happy New Year John."

"Happy New Year Anna."


End file.
